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Graduate Students

Welcome to the Graduate Student section of the Women in Planetary Science Blog!

Graduate students are welcome to read and contribute to all areas of this site, but this page is dedicated to posting and discussing graduate student specific opportunities such as fellowships, postdoctoral openings, career planning questions and answers, and the like.

Everyone is welcome to contribute a post, a question, a comment, or an idea — if you’ve survived even a minute of graduate school, you have something useful to contribute.

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The 10th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2020) is to be held virtually on Wednesday and Thursday, July 1st-2nd 2020, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF, July 8-10th). With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of LunGradCon includes both lunar and small body science. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to virtual presentations, the conference will feature Q&A panels with various groups to help grad students navigate the paths to careers in space science. The deadline for LunGradCon registration and abstract submission is June 19, 2020, 11:59 PM PDT.

The Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) is looking for a Ph.D. student in Space Physics. The position is related to studies of space plasmas. Applications are invited for a Ph.D. student to study kinetic plasma processes operating in space plasma regions of fundamental importance, such as magnetic reconnection sites, shocks, and turbulence regions. Such processes operate in most astrophysical plasma environments leading to plasma heating and production of energetic particles.
You will work directly with state-of-the-art experimental data from the NASA multi-spacecraft (MMS) mission.
The position is available at the IRF-office in Uppsala, starting at the latest in the second half of 2020 for a total of four years. The Swedish National Space Agency, the Swedish Research Council and Uppsala University fund the position.

The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is a week-long field class
and research project based at Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, more popularly known
as Meteor Crater. The goal of the field camp is to introduce students to impact cratering
processes and provide an opportunity to assist with a research project at the crater. Skills
developed during the field camp should better prepare students for their own thesis studies
in impact cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, Mars, or some other
solar system planetary surface. The next session will take place September 26 through
October 4, 2020. The application deadline is June 8, 2020. The details of the program,
including information about how to apply, can be found on the program website.

Astrobotic is looking for full-time (paid) interns to join our R&D team this summer. We are flexible to remote work given the current situation. In particular, we’re looking for students (undergrad or graduate) with software skills and prior experience developing lunar terrain models (DEMs) from LRO and other data sources. These terrain models are used to perform landing site assessment, generate maps for our lander’s precision landing sensor and lunar simulation tools, and plan rover routes. Our DEM tools are based around the Ames Stereo pipeline so prior experience with that would be a plus, but experience with other photogrammetry software (e.g., SOCET SET) would be equally valuable. The work would directly contribute to Astrobotic’s first lunar mission, which is scheduled for July 2021.

Applications are now being accepted for multiple short-term
postbaccalaureate research positions to support the Sellers Exoplanet
Environments Collaboration (SEEC) at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, MD. The position is funded through the Southeastern
Universities Research Association and the CRESST II.

Positions available with the Sellers Exoplanet Environments
Collaboration span a variety of research areas. Successful candidates
will be chosen to work on one of four research areas. Visit the job
posting to receive additional information about the research areas:

Applications received by April 9, 2020, will receive best
consideration. Start date by April-June, 2020, preferred with an
initial employment term of 1 year that will be extended to an annual
renewal contingent on performance. Recent graduates with experience
coding in any of the areas are invited to apply. We encourage
applicants who are considering applying to a graduate program in
astrophysics, planetary science or related disciplines in the near
future, and who wish to expand their research experience in the interim
to also apply.

The Solar System Physics and Space Technology research programme at the
Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna invites applications for
PhD positions to study how the solar wind interacts with bodies in the
Solar System.

Applications are being accepted for Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact
Research grants. Each year three to five competitive grants in the range of $2,500
to $5,000 USD are awarded to masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students to do
field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Applications will be
accepted through April 10, and grant awards will be announced by June 12. Get
details and apply online at the
Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research website.

The National Research Council is offering a post-doctoral position at
the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technology in
Milan. The project is entitled “Co-Orbital Motion and Three-Body
Regimes in the Solar System”.

The aim is to analyze the co-orbital motion by means of perturbation
methods applied to the third-body effect and, at the same time, by
means of the restricted three-body problem and the corresponding
invariant objects. The focus will be to understand the relationship
between the two approaches and the possible transition towards
different orbital regimes. A special emphasis will be given to apply
the analysis to asteroidal motion.

The project envisages two research periods abroad (about 1 month each):
– at the University of Thessaloniki under the supervision of Dr. G.
Voyatzis
– at the University of Helsinki under the supervision of Prof.
M. Granvik.

The candidate is expected to have a Ph.D. in applied mathematics,
planetary sciences or aerospace engineering, with a robust background
in celestial mechanics and numerical simulations.

The duration of the position is 18 months, starting likely in spring
2020.

Those interested can contact Dr. Alessi at em.alessi at mi.imati.cnr.it

There is one project for consideration in this pool –
Project EARTH-20-RP3: Where is the water in the Lunar mantle?
The deadline for applications is March 3, 2020. Please note that the studentship
would be 3.5 years duration in the first instance, with the possibility of extension
to 4 years; it includes fees, stipend, and research funds, and is available to UK
students; EU candidates are eligible for fees and research funds only. Please get
in touch if you have any questions (richard.palin at earth.ox.ac.uk).

The deadline for applications is March 3rd, 2020. Please note that the studentship would be 3.5 years duration in the first instance, with the possibility of extension to 4 years; it includes fees, stipend, and research funds, and is available to UK students; EU candidates are eligible for fees and research funds only.

PH.D. POSITION ON MODELING AND OBSERVATION OF ROCK-RICH PLANETARY
SURFACES

The Institute of Planetology at the University of Muenster, Germany, is
seeking a researcher to carry out a 3 year Ph.D. in planetary science,
starting April 15, 2020 at the earliest, and funded at 75% (E13 TV-L)
level.

The Ph.D. candidate will be part of a junior research group dedicated
to the understanding of regolith evolution and to the analysis of
images returned by spacecraft from the Moon, asteroids, and Mars.
Understanding the nature, origin and evolution of regolith is paramount
for a wide range of research fields and will serve engineering purposes
for rovers and landers mission. The activities of the Ph.D. student
will be (1) the development of a numerical model to describe the
process of small impact (<1m) bombardment and the evolution of
boulder-rich surfaces and (2) use of the model developed to analyze
remote sensing images of planetary surfaces. The requirements are (1)
proven and in-depth expertise in programming (e.g. Matlab), (2)
experience with remote sensing data or software, (3) master's degree in
geophysics, geo-informatics, or equivalent.

Interested candidates are welcome to contact Dr. Ottaviano Ruesch at
the address below for further information on the application.

The LPI will be hosting the sixth edition of the SSERVI-sponsored Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater this year. The program will occur September 26 through October 4, 2020. The program is for graduate students. Applications are due June 8.

CIDER announces their annual summer program on behalf of the
geosciences community. This summer program focuses on the evolution of
physical and chemical conditions that allowed life to gain a foothold.
This broad program will cover the details of planetary formation and
the subsequent evolution of this initial state through the early Earth
and through the onset of plate tectonics. At each stage, we explore
the interplay between Earth’s surface environment and the evolution of
the interior. The organizers and program committee can be found at:

The program features a 4 week tutorial and research program for about
40 advanced graduate students and postdocs. We also welcome scientists
at assistant professor/researcher level (and higher) to participate in
any part of the program, with a minimum commitment of 2 weeks.

The summer program will be held on the campus of University of
California, Santa Barbara. It is supported by the NSF/CSEDI program.
Applications are invited for both senior and junior participate at:

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide
promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to
work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s
capital, under the aegis of the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine’s Space Science Board. The summer program is
open to undergraduate only (application deadline February 3). The
autumn program is open to undergraduate and graduate students
(application deadline June 1). Additional information about the
program, including application procedure, can be found at:

Dune worlds: novel geospatial approaches applied to Earth and Martian
sand seas at Loughborough University Supervised by Dr. Matt Baddock,
Dr. John Hillier and Dr. Matt Balme of the Open Univeristy. More
details at:

The next Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) meeting will be held on
February 3-4, 2020 at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in
Houston, TX. NASA will provide travel grants for a limited number of
Early Career participants to attend this OPAG meeting. OPAG plays a key
role in sculpting the planetary science community’s input into NASA
activities for outer planets science and exploration. Thus it is
critical for Early Career scientists to attend these meetings both to
learn how NASA and Planetary Science programs operate and to represent
the community that will work on OPAG-relevant projects in the coming
decade. Selection preference will be given to U.S. citizens or lawful
permanent residents (green card holders), or those in residence at U.S.
institutions. Selected individuals will present a poster at the meeting
the evening of February 3 on a topic of their choosing. Interested
graduate students, postdocs, and other Early Career scientists (within
5 years of PhD/MS/BS) should submit a short letter of interest and a CV
to Morgan.L.Cable at jpl.nasa.gov by December 30, 2019. Please include
“OPAG Early Career Travel Grant” in the subject line. Recipients will
be notified by January 6, 2020.

The Mineralogical Society of America announces the 2020 Grants for Student Research in Mineralogy and Petrology.

The Grants for Student Research in Mineralogy and Petrology are funded by an endowment created by contributions from the MSA membership. The grant comprises two awards of up to $5,000 each for research in mineralogy and petrology. Students, including graduate and undergraduate students, are encouraged to apply. However, all proposals are considered together. The award selection will be based on the qualifications of the applicant, the quality, innovativeness, and scientific significance of the research, and the likelihood of success of the project.

The eligibility requirements for the grant are that the applicant:

is an MSA member,
is more than one year from completing his or her degree,
cannot submit proposals for both this and Crystallography grant in the same year, and
is not an MSA Councilor.

The grant is for research-related expenses only. Travel to meetings, conferences, short courses, non-research fieldtrips, tuition, non-research living (room and board) expenses, overhead or indirect costs, etc. are not suitable uses of the money. Neither should the money be used for salary or wages for the researcher. Proposals that make such requests will not be considered further.

Proposal submissions for the grant are to be made online. Further information and application form are available at

Area of specialization will be determined based on mutual interest and
the details of the geology encountered by the rover, but might include
some combination of analysis of geologic features observed in
multispectral image data, quantitative modeling of the observed
features, and interpretation in the context of the regional to global
history of Mars. In addition, a proportion of the student’s time will
be spent on mission operations in support of the Mastcam-Z stereo
multispectral camera investigation. A good grounding in geosciences,
physics, and mathematics is desirable, as is previous planetary,
volcanology, or Mars-focused research, and/or experience in mission
operations. For more information please contact Sarah Fagents
(fagents@hawaii.edu). The UH Manoa application deadline is January 15,
2020.

The Earth and Planetary Science Laboratory group at the University of Rochester seeks highly motivated applicants for PhD degrees. The group performs cutting-edge numerical simulations to model planetary impact processes, formation and evolution of terrestrial planets and moons in the solar and extra solar systems as well as geodynamics of planetary interiors. The goal of the research is to deepen our understanding of the planetary systems by combining numerical models with geological, geophysical, geochemical, and astronomical observations. We have dedicated access to high performance computing facilities and a strong connection with the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) on campus.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANETARY SCIENCE AT TULANE UNIVERSITY

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University seeks highly motivated students with an interest in pursuing graduate studies in planetary science. Opportunities are available within the general area of planetary surface processes with Dr. Whitten and planetary accretion with Dr. Jackson. For more information regarding specific research topics, please contact:

Two funded research assistantships are available for students pursuing graduate studies at the University of Maryland, working with Dr. Christine Hartzell. One project will focus on triboelectric charging of lunar regolith and exploration vehicles. A second project will focus on the influence of magnetic forces on avalanches on metallic asteroids with remnant magnetic fields. Both projects will have a strong emphasis on computational modeling, with experimental validation of models following in later years. Students with backgrounds in physics, astronomy, math or engineering are encouraged to apply. For more information, please contact Dr. Hartzell at hartzell at umd.edu. UMD is located 15mins from NASA Goddard and 30mins from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, making it a rich location for collaborative planetary science research.

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION IN MODELING EXOPLANETS PLASMA ENVIRONMENT AND STAR-PLANET INTERACTION

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Space Science and Technology, to work on modeling radio emissions from exoplanets and star-planet interaction, with Dr. Ofer Cohen. The successful applicant will develop MHD codes to simulate modulation of stellar radio emission by transiting exoplanets, star-planet interaction, and will perform coupled simulations of the plasma environment around short-orbit exoplanets. The applicant will also develop code coupling between stellar coronae and planetary magnetospheres models.

A postdoctoral scientist position is available in the planetary radar group at the Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico. The position will include training in radar observations of near-Earth objects, planets, and moons. We encourage applications from recent doctoral graduates with experience in any type of asteroid observations or related research. Radar observation experience is not required. The position is by default for two years but extendable to three years. To apply, please send your CV and a two-page research statement to Dr. Anne Virkki through anne.virkki at ucf.edu by Dec 2, 2019. Arecibo Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated by the University of Central Florida in collaboration with Yang Enterprises, Inc., and Universidad Ana G. Méndez. The planetary radar program is fully funded through NASA’s Near-Earth Objects Observations program.

We have an opening for a Ph.D. student interested in experimentally investigating the interaction of volcanic gas and martian surface materials and assessing the IR spectral signature of the products beginning Fall 2020. The student will work with Dr. Hanna Nekvasil on experiments simulating boiling of magma and investigate the nature of vapor-deposited salts added to martian dust as well as the alteration of basalt by martian volcanic gas. The student will also work with Dr. A. Deanne Rogers on assessing the IR spectral signature of the martian fines altered by volcanic gas and how this signature is modified by reaction during changes in relative humidity. Interested students should contact Hanna.Nekvasil@stonybrook.edu. Stony Brook University has a dynamic planetary science group and a long history of excellence in experimental igneous petrology. Please pass this message on to any student you think may be interested.

We have an opening for a Ph.D. student interested in experimentally
investigating the interaction of volcanic gas and martian surface
materials and assessing the IR spectral signature of the products
beginning Fall 2020. The student will work with Dr. Hanna Nekvasil on
experiments simulating boiling of magma and investigate the nature of
vapor-deposited salts added to martian dust as well as the alteration
of basalt by martian volcanic gas. The student will also work with Dr.
A. Deanne Rogers on assessing the IR spectral signature of the martian
fines altered by volcanic gas and how this signature is modified by
reaction during changes in relative humidity. Interested students
should contact Hanna.Nekvasil at stonybrook.edu. Stony Brook University
has a dynamic planetary science group and a long history of excellence
in experimental igneous petrology. Please pass this message on to any
student you think may be interested.

EARLY CAREER PARTICIPANT SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR OPAG MEETING,
AUGUST 19-21

NASA’s Outer Planets Assessment Group will provide travel grants for a
limited number of interested Early Career participants to attend the
OPAG meeting August 20-21 in Boulder, CO. OPAG plays a key role in
sculpting the planetary science community’s input into NASA activities
for outer planets science and exploration. Thus it is critical for
Early Career scientists to attend these meetings both to learn how NASA
and Planetary Science programs operate and to represent the community
that will work on OPAG-relevant projects in the coming decade. In
addition to the OPAG meeting, Early Career travel awardees can also
participate in the OPAG Subsurface Needs for Ocean Worlds Meeting
(SNOW) on August 19 prior to OPAG. Selected individuals will present
a poster at the meeting on a topic of their choosing. Interested
graduate students, postdocs, and other Early Career scientists (within
5 years of PhD/MS/BS) should submit a one-page letter of interest and
a CV to morgan.l.cable “at” jpl.nasa.gov by August 1, 2019. Recipients
will be notified by August 5, and will receive support for hotel and
transportation costs. For more information, email Morgan Cable at the
address above.

The Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award is for undergraduate or graduate students, of any nationality, working in any country, in the disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, or biology. The award, which will include $3000, is to be applied for the study of impact craters, either on Earth or on the other solid bodies in the solar system. Areas of study may include but shall not necessarily be limited to impact cratering processes; the bodies (asteroidal or cometary) that make the impacts; or the geological, chemical, or biological results of impact cratering. Details about the award as well as an application form for interested students can be found at

Registration is now open for the 9th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2018) to be held on Monday, July 22, 2019 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF, July 23-25). With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of LunGradCon includes both lunar and small body science. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for LunGradCon registration and abstract submission is June 21, 2019, 11:59 PM PDT. The ESF abstract deadline is April 23rd. LunGradCon attendees are highly encouraged to also submit abstracts to the ESF.

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Space Science Board. The deadline for applications has been extended to July 1. Candidates selected will be contacted no later than August 1. Additional information about the program, including application procedures, can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_052239. Enquiries should be direct to dsmith at nas.edu.

Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships Autumn 2019
The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Space Science Board. The autumn program is open to undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline for applications has been extended to 1 July. Candidate(s) selected for will be contacted no later than 1 August. Additional information about the program, including application procedure, can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_052239. Enquiries to dhsmith at nas.edu.

Early Career workshop “Design of small satellite missions for planetary studies” (Tartu, EE, 23 July – 2 August 2019)
Due to the success of last year’s event a follow -up workshop is organised, which is devoted to planning of missions to the Moon and icy bodies. Newcomers with additional ideas are cordially welcome! Application deadline is 15 May 2019. Please check out the websitehttp://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Tartu2019/

Ph. D. position in astrochemistry and atmospheric chemistry at Stockholm University

A 4-years position of a Ph. D. student in the field of astrochemistry and molecular astrophysics is available at Stockholm University under the supervision of Prof. Wolf D. Geppert. The work will focus on the investigations of ion reactions in the interstellar medium and planetary ionospheres trough experimental and theoretical methods. The focus will be on:

Identification of products of ion-ion reactions relevant for the interstellar medium and planetary ionospheres using the novel and unique DESIREE double storage ring in Stockholm
Studies of atmospheric and interstellar ion-neutral reactions of ions using guided beams. In a collaboration composed of the Universities of Trento, J. Heyrovský Institute (Prague), Université Paris Saclay, and and SU we will pursue the selective generation of specific isomers of ions and investigations of their reactions with common molecules in Titan’s atmosphere.
Spectroscopic studies of isomeric ions With the help the ion trap experiment at the FELIX free electron laser at the University of Nijmegen infrared spectra of isomeric cations will be measured in order to establish selective production procedures of their isomers.
Furthermore, we envisage planning of rocket- and balloon-based missions to assess the abundance, identity and distribution of cluster ions in Earth’s atmosphere and their possible role in aerosol formation. The experimental and modelling studies to be carried out regarding ion clusters will identify the build-up and destruction processes of ionospheric clusters, predict their abundances and thus be of fundamental help in preparing a scientific case for such missions.
The results of these investigations will be used as input data of model calculations of dark interstellar clouds and planetary or satellite atmospheres and for astronomic observations.The successful candidate will be offered full-time employment with a competitive salary and full medical and social security coverage. Also, the Stockholm University Astrobiology Centre has some funds for travel.
Please check the following website for information about application procedures and rules:

NASA is accepting applications – from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, doctoral students, junior faculty, and engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their master’s degree but not planning to pursue a PhD degree, and junior faculty – for its 31st Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar.

During the 11 weeks of virtual webinar sessions and the onsite culminating week at JPL, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the experience, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications were originally due April 1, 2019, now extended until April 13. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://psss.jpl.nasa.gov

Registration is now open for the 6th offering of Software Systems for Astronomy. The course covers software design and implementation of telescope and instrument control systems, observation planning tools, and software for analyzing and archiving astronomical data. SSfA-6 will be offered as a two week intensive course this summer, 29 Jul to 09 Aug,
2019, on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The course number is ASTR385. For more information send email to aconrad at hawaii.edu or visit:

Research team based in UK and co-supervised by researchers in CalTech and SETI. Mars has widespread deposits of sand-sized sediments forming significant wind-blown dune fields of various typologies and scales. Understanding the dynamics of surface atmospheric boundary layers is therefore paramount in examining Mars’ landform dynamics.

Most research efforts have focussed on Mars atmospheric circulation at very large scales using Global Climate Models (GCMs). Temporal and spatial scales of these models are good first principles in understanding atmospheric-surface interactions, but are much too coarse when trying to understand surface landform dynamics.

Recent efforts have employed microscale computational fluid dynamics modelling to investigate atmospheric surface interactions and dune surface changes. Several state-of-the-art numerical atmospheric modelling tools will be used, including a Mars GCM, a regional Mars mesoscale climate model, and a computational fluid dynamics model (OpenFOAM). Geospatial and geomorphic analysis of relevant spacecraft imagery and other observational data will be used to constrain and validate the modelling results.

Overall objective: to combine macro- to meso- to micro-scale airflow modelling for a more realistic modelling of meter-scale airflow involved in the time-evolution of aeolian features on Mars. Full info and deadlines:

PH.D. AND M.S. OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANETARY SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CENTRAL FLORIDA

The UCF Planetary Sciences Group, with members in the Department of
Physics and Florida Space Institute (now including Arecibo
Observatory), has opportunities with the faculty below for highly
motivated PhD and MS students in:

ESA announces the student traineeships for 2019 at the European Space
Astronomy Centre (ESAC), Madrid. 21 traineeships are offered for 2019,
including astrophysics, engineering and IT projects contributing to ESA
missions such as Euclid, Gaia, INTEGRAL, JUICE, Rosetta, SOHO and
XMM-Newton. The traineeships have a duration of three to six months and
applicants should be in their final few years of an undergraduate
degree or Master’s degree.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to work with Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath at UNLV on mineral dissolution experiments with implications for formation of Mars soils. Responsibilities of the position will include:
– Laboratory experiments reacting individual minerals and Mars-analog soils with water
– analysis of solutions and reacted and unreacted mineral
– Presenting work at conferences and writing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
Desired attributes include significant experience performing mineral dissolution experiments, a strong geochemical background, and experience with analytical techniques. The ideal candidate will also have strong critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Requirements include a PhD at the time of appointment. The successful candidate will receive mentoring in scientific skills, manuscript and proposal writing, teaching, and other career skills. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter describing research experience and interests, curriculum vitae, and names and contact information (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of three professional references to Elisabeth.Hausrath@unlv.edu. For information about our ongoing research programs please see our website here: http://faculty.unlv.edu/hausrath/index.htm.

Topics covered by the conference will range from the role of impacts in the early history of the Solar System over impacts physics, the characterisation of impactors (asteroids, meteorites, comets etc) and impact sites to the role impacts could have played in the emergence and evolution of life and their possible threat to life on Earth. Two further important aspects will be discussed: the geoconservation of impact sites as well as the use of impacts in education and outreach in order to get the general public interested in science.
The conference will be held at Hotel Dalecarlia**** in the picturesque village of Tällberg in the Siljan crater area with good connections to Stockholm International Airport. Excursions to geologically interesting sites in the area are planned.
We are looking forward to receiving your contribution to our event. Since up to 10 bursaries for students and early career scientists will be available we would kindly ask you to forward this invitation to possibly interested people.
Deadline for abstract submission is March 31st, 2019. For further information about the event please check the conference website:http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Impacts2019

Earth and Planetary Science Laboratory group at the University of Rochester seeks highly motivated applicants for PhD degrees. The group performs cutting-edge numerical simulations to model planetary impact processes, formation and evolution of terrestrial planets and moons in the solar and extra solar systems as well as geodynamic processes of planetary interiors. The goal of the research is to deepen our understanding of the planetary systems by combining numerical models with geological, geophysical, geochemical, and astronomical observations. We have dedicated access to high performance computing facilities and a strong connection with the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) on campus.

GRAD STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES IN LUNAR SCIENCE AT UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

Applications are solicited for highly motivated graduate students to join Dr. Kerri Donaldson Hanna in the Planetary Sciences Group in the Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida (https://planets.ucf.edu/). Dr. Donaldson Hanna’s research interests include combining remote sensing observations with laboratory studies to investigate the formation and evolution of airless bodies (e.g., the Moon, asteroids, Mercury, Phobos and Deimos) and the design and development of space instrumentation. She is currently a Co-I on the Diviner Lunar Radiometer team and a participating scientist on the OSIRIS-REx teams.

Potential research topics include the investigation of the Moon’s ancient crust and how surface processes have changed it over time, the composition of the Solar System as viewed through small bodies, and laboratory emissivity studies of analog materials under simulated airless body conditions. Students will gain experience in the analyses of multiple remote sensing data sets, making laboratory spectral measurements and designing instrumentation.

Graduate student applications will be considered for Fall 2019 and applications are due January 15, 2019.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANETARY SCIENCE AT YORK
UNIVERSITY, TORONTO

The Earth and Space Science and Engineering Department at York
University welcomes graduate student applications related to planetary
sciences with a focus on active atmospheric and surface processes on
Mars and on ices throughout the solar system. Students entering the
program will focus on how various ices affect the surface and
atmosphere/climate of a planetary body. Opportunities for data
analysis, laboratory experiments, and computer simulations are
available.

ESSE has state of the art laboratory facilities, including two
pressure chambers, in which to perform experiments in relevant
conditions.

Canadian citizenship is not required. Please contact Isaac Smith:
ibsmith at yorku.ca for more details.

The Space Research and Planetology Division at the University of Bern,
Switzerland, has an opening for a Ph.D. student position in
experimental planetary science. The successful candidate will prepare
and examine analogue samples for the surfaces of the Moon and Mercury
and will put the experimental results into the general context of the
surfaces and tenuous atmospheres of the Moon and Mercury.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANETARY SCIENCE AT TULANE UNIVERSITY

Highly motivated students with an interest in pursuing graduate studies
in planetary science are encouraged to apply to the Department of Earth
and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University. The Planetary Science
Research Group focuses on studying the geomorphology, and surfaces
processes and properties of terrestrial planetary bodies. Potential
research topics include analysis of ancient terrains on Venus and the
polar ice deposits on Mars. Students will gain experience integrating
multiple orbital datasets using Geographical Information Systems (e.g.,
ArcGIS). For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Whitten
(jwhitten1 AT tulane.edu) or see:

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Gottingen,
Germany, invites applications for a Ph.D. position in the “Comet and
Asteroid Activity” research group funded by an ERC Starting Grant. The
position will be embedded in the International Max Planck Research
School (IMPRS) for Solar System Science at the University of Gottingen:

The goal of the project will be to characterise the global
distribution of dust emission from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
through a combined approach of mining data from the European Space
Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft and numerical simulations. A detailed
project description can be found at:

no later than November 15, 2018. In your online application, please
specify and motivate your choice of this particular project within the
Comet and Asteroid Activity research group. Once the online portal
indicates that your application is complete with all reference letters
in, please send an e-mail to the project advisor to alert her of your
submission. Applications for this particular project can be
fast-tracked with respect to the overall selection process, and review
will begin as soon as the application material is complete.

GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANETARY SURFACE PROCESSES AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Prospective graduate students and postdoctoral scholars interested in
planetary surface processes are invited to apply to join the group of
Dr. Mathieu Lapotre in the Department of Geological Sciences at
Stanford, for a start date in the fall of 2019. The research group
will focus on utilizing the diverse planetary bodies of the Solar
System as full scale experiments to develop and test our quantitative
understanding of surface processes, and deciphering the hydrologic and
climate histories of planets (including Earth) through the lens of
surface processes.

Prospective graduate students should demonstrate strong quantitative
skills and motivation to apply concepts of geomorphology,
sedimentology, and/or spectroscopy to the study of planetary surfaces
and rocks. The next application deadline to the department’s graduate
program is January 8, 2019.

Prospective postdoctoral scholars should demonstrate expertise in any
field that is relevant to the study of planetary surface processes.
Candidates with expertise in techniques that are not traditionally
utilized in planetary geology but have the potential to bring new
light to our understanding of the Solar System (e.g., machine
learning, etc.) are encouraged to apply.

Please contact Dr. Lapotre at mlapotre at stanford.edu with any questions.

Graduate Student Opportunities: Planetary Petrology and Geochemistry
Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Florida

The Elardo Planetary Geochemistry Group at the University of Florida in Gainesville has opportunities for highly motivated students seeking graduate degrees with an emphasis in Planetary Petrology and Geochemistry. Potential projects cover a wide range of topics including geochemical, mineralogical, and isotopic studies of planetary differentiation and core formation, the origin and evolution of the Moon’s crust and mantle, and the origins of planetary magmas. Students would join a group that utilizes experimental petrology in the newly established Experimental Geochemistry Lab, microbeam studies of meteorites and Apollo samples, and non-traditional stable isotope geochemistry to answer questions about these topics. The Department of Geological Sciences at UF is well-equipped with a wide array of instrumentation and resources available for these studies.
PhD and MSc positions are available as early as Fall 2019. For more information, please contact Prof. Stephen Elardo (selardo at ufl.edu) with a C.V. and a brief description of research interests and experience. More information about the Department of Geological Sciences and the Planetary

The National Academies is hosting an Early Career Astronomer and Astrophysicist (== senior grad student, post-doc, and pre-tenure equivalent) Focus Session as part of the #Astro2020 decadal activities. The session takes place October 8-9, in Washington, DC. The 50 session participants will have full travel expenses supported. Apply by 5pm on 7/16.

“The principle goal of this focus session is to engage early career astronomers and astrophysicists in the decadal survey planning and input process by assembling early career scientists, National Academy of Sciences members, and the National Academies staff to exchange perspectives on past and future decadal surveys.”

The Laboratoire de Planetologie et Geodynamique organises the second
GeoPlaNet thematic school on Fluid-Rock Interactions in the Solar
System. The event will take place in Nantes (France) from next
November 12th to 16th.

This school in Planetary Geosciences will present to participants
various techniques for observing, analysing, experimenting and
modelling the compositional and morphological aspects of fluid-rock
interactions in rocky and icy bodies of all sizes of the Solar System.

The IceCrystal project has an open position for a student seeking a
PhD. The individual will be working with VNIR spectral analysis of lava
flows and will focus on microcrystal distribution throughout flow
features. The student will participate in field campaigns in rugged and
remote volcanic regions located in Idaho, Iceland, and Alaska. The
student will produce a protocol for the most effective method for
collecting spectral data with the purpose of identifying environmental
conditions experienced by lava flows during emplacement. The work will
be performed in collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center and the
SETI Institute. Starting date for the position is as soon as
August-2018.

Please contact erader at uidaho.edu with questions about the position and
instructions on how to apply.

Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater
Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona
October 6–14, 2018
APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 11, 2018
For more information and access to an electronic application form, please visithttps://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration/mcFieldCamp/

The use of micro- and nanosatellites in space missions have been one of the hot topics in space research and space technology during the last years. As opposed to traditional spacecraft missions which can take decades to prepare and may cost up to billions of Euros, microsatellites (<100 kg) and nanosatellites (<10 kg) offer a quick, low-cost alternative for atmospheric and space research, which is ideal for early career people. However, in order to plan missions involving such small satellites successfully, intensive interaction and cooperation between scientists and space technologists are necessary, which is still lacking in some potential key applications.The early career scientist workshop/summer school "Microsatellites in planetary and atmospheric research" will take place from 6 to 11 August 2018 at the University of Tartu. It aims to:

· Give participant an overview into the most pivotal research questions in planetary and atmospheric sciences

· Highlight the possible potential of microsatellites in those areas

· Explore novel applications of microsatellites in a multitude of different fields including astronomy, planetary and atmospheric sciences, geosciences and astrobiology

· Foster the interaction between space researchers and technologists

· Allow participants to start the design and planning of new space missions

Participants will also have the possibility to display their own research results in a poster session. Furthermore, a half-day excursion to interesting sites in the area (Ice Age Museum, Lake Peipus) and a walk in Tartu are included as a social programme. Accommodations and meal costs are very low.

The event is aimed for students and early career scientists and open to applicants from all nationalities. Detailed information about the summer school and the application procedure (deadline 31 May 2018) can be found at the website:

Opportunity for Early Career Scientists to Participate in a Field Trip to the Key Astrobiology Sites of Australia
Application Deadline: Friday, April 13, 2018 at 9PM PST
The NASA Astrobiology Institute is accepting applications from early career astrobiologists (postdoctoral fellows or others within 3 years of their PhD) for partial support to participate in a 10-day trip to astrobiology-relevant field sites in Western Australia. Included will be remote sites of fossilized stromatolites from the c. 1.8 Ga Duck Creek Dolomite and c. 2.4 Ga Turee Creek Group, a walk through the transition across the rise of atmospheric oxygen (the GOE), and a hike through a canyon with walls made of 2.5 Ga Banded Iron Formation (BIF). Following this, will be a visit to stromatolites of the c. 2.7 Ga Fortescue Group, then the c. 3.35-3.49 Ga fossiliferous units of hte Pilbara Craton, including newly discovered geyserite in the Dresser Formation, site of the oldest evidence for life on land.

The NAI will provide partial support of $1000 each, for up to 5 individuals affiliated with U.S. Institutions, for field trip expenses. Selected individuals will then be responsible for the remainder of the expenses: airfare, Visa fees, ground transportation to/from airports, etc.

Applicants should provide:
– A short description of how participation in this trip will contribute to your research or training in astrobiology.
– A letter of support from your advisor/principal investigator. Junior faculty are not required to provide a letter of support.

Applications are due by April 13, 2018 to Dr. Melissa Kirven-Brooks, Staff Scientist at the NAI, melissa.kirven-brooks at nasa.gov

The Maria Goeppert Mayer Award is presented annually to a woman physicist in the early years of her career. The award consists of $3,000 plus a travel allowance to provide opportunities for the recipient to give lectures in her field of physics at up to three institutions and at the APS meeting at which the award is bestowed.

The award is given to a woman in the early years of her career (not later than ten years after the granting of her Ph.D.) for scientific achievements that demonstrate her potential as an outstanding physicist.

Registration is now open for the 8th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2018) to be held on Monday, June 25, 2018 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF, June 26-28). With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of this year’s LunGradCon includes both lunar and small body science. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for LunGradCon registration and abstract submission is May 11, 2018, 11:59 PM PDT. The ESF abstract deadline is March 30th.

NASA is accepting applications – from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, doctoral students, engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their master’s degree but not planning to pursue a PhD degree, and junior faculty – for its 30th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar, which will be held August 6-10, 2018 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 2, 2018. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals.

Curtin University, in Perth, Western Australia, has the largest planetary science research program in Australia, inclusive of the Desert Fireball Network, and is looking to extend this vibrant and diverse team of over 20 staff, postdocs and students with new Post-doc opportunities.

Job Description
A 3-year post-doctoral research position to study the chronology of Mars using automated crater counting methods working with Assoc. Prof. Gretchen Benedix is immediately available in the Planetary Science Group at Curtin University

Integrating image processing, high performance computing, geochemical and geochronological studies, this project aims to determine a detailed and accurate geologic timescale for Mars. The project aims to apply novel automated feature recognition techniques to high resolution space-craft derived images of the surface of Mars. Combining this with formation ages of Martian meteorites, the anticipated goal of the project is to define an absolute chronology for Mars. A more complete timescale will provide context for the geologic processes that affected Mars and may help to better understand the past habitability of the planet.

The aim of this research is to combine two geochronology datasets – crater counting and new radiometric ages – in an innovative, multi-disciplinary way
The successful applicant will work closely in an interdisciplinary group of astrogeologists, computer scientists and geochronologists.

The applicant must have a PhD in planetary geology, geophysics, or a related field. Candidates with experience in studying and interpreting Mars surface geology via image processing or machine learning are highly desired. Experience with mineralogy/petrology of martian rocks is also a plus.

Perth, Western Australia is a beautiful place to live and work. The climate is very similar to Southern California. We have access to some extremely beautiful beaches and the outback is only a couple of hours drive away. The planetary group at Curtin comprises many students from abroad, so support is abundant for any questions about living abroad.

Hi, I’m Melinda Soares-Furtado! I am a graduate student at Princeton University and the mother of two wonderful children. I work on both theoretical and observational research in the subfields of stellar clusters and exoplanets. This is such a great resource.

NASA Office of Education opened a call for graduate research proposals
on January 17, 2018. The NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH18ZHA003N:
NASA Fellowship Activity 2018 is seeking student authored and
independently conceived graduate research proposals responding to a
NASA Research Opportunity listed in the solicitation.

NASA is accepting applications – from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, doctoral students, engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their master’s degree but not planning to pursue a PhD degree, and junior faculty – for its 30th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar, which will be held August 6-10, 2018 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 2, 2018. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals.

The Space Exploration Sector of The Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD is now accepting applications
for the APL NASA Intern Program. Rising sophomores through Ph.D.
students as of fall 2018 who are selected will contribute to
NASA-related missions and research work. Talks by key mission engineers
and scientists, along with tours of APL and other activities, will be
provided. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be in high academic
standing (3.0 GPA or higher), and have successfully passed a background
check. Applications are due by March 30, 2018; however, selections are
made on a continuous basis, so interested students should apply as
early as possible. For more information, please visit:

The Space Exploration Sector of The Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) in Laurel, MD is now accepting
applications for the APL NASA Intern Program. Rising sophomores through
Ph.D. students as of fall 2018 who are selected will contribute to
NASA-related missions and research work. Talks by key mission engineers
and scientists, along with tours of APL and other activities, will be
provided. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be in high academic
standing (3.0 GPA or higher), and have successfully passed a background
check. Application opens December 15, 2017 and applications are due by
March 30th, 2018; however, selections are made on a continuous basis,
so interested students should apply as early as possible. For more
information, please visit:

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is hosting a special summer intern
program to involve students in activities that support missions to the Moon
that utilize the Orion crew vehicle, the Deep Space Gateway, and robotic
assets on the lunar surface. It is a unique opportunity to integrate scientific
input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft
engineers can use. Activities may involve assessments of landing sites and
traverse plans for multiple destinations that are responsive to NASA objectives.
The LPI invites applications from graduate students in geology, planetary science,
and related programs.

The Exploration Science Summer Intern Program builds on the success of the
Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program that was designed to evaluate possible
landing sites on the Moon for robotic and human exploration missions. Over a
five year period (2008–2012), teams of students worked with LPI science staff
and their collaborators to produce A Global Lunar Landing Site Study to Provide
the Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon. The program for 2018 is
designed to have the same impact on future exploration activities. This will be
a unique team activity that should foster extensive discussions among students
and senior science team members.

The 10-week program runs from May 29, 2018, through August 3, 2018.
Selected interns will receive a $5,883 stipend, and up to a $1,000 travel
expense reimbursement for U.S. citizens, or $1,500 for foreign nationals.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northern Arizona University
is recruiting excellent students to undertake a Ph.D. in Planetary
Science and Astronomy. We are currently searching for several planetary
surfaces-focused students to undertake projects related to analog
science, orbital remote sensing of Mars and other planetary bodies,
and rover-based science. Students in this dynamic and growing Ph.D.
program have the opportunity to tailor their curriculum and course
load to meet their academic and scientific goals. Close collaboration
with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, combined with our planetary
surfaces-focused students, postdocs and faculty members lends to a rich
community of planetary science researchers in Flagstaff, Arizona. In
addition, northern Arizona provides numerous opportunities for
terrestrial analog studies, ranging from Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon,
and the San Francisco volcanic field to nearby sand dune fields and
seasonal river channels.

Applications are due January 1. For more information, including a list
of current faculty members and their research interests, as well as how
to apply to our program, please see:

This award is established by the Planetary Science Institute in memory
of Senior Scientist Betty Pierazzo to support and encourage graduate
students to build international collaborations and relationships in
planetary science. Two awards will be made each year, contingent upon
there being meritorious applications. One will be awarded to a graduate
student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution within the U.S.
This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting
(conferences and workshops) outside of the U.S. The second award will
be to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution
outside of the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science
related meeting within the U.S. These include general meetings that
have planetary-focused sessions such as the AGU, GSA, EGU and IAG.

We are planning to offer limited U.S. travel support for early career
scientists to participate in the SBAG 18 meeting, to be held at the
NASA Ames Research Center on January 17-19, 2018. Interested
undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and other early
career scientists (within 3 years of PhD/MS/BS) should submit a 2-page
letter plus a CV to SBAG Early Career Secretary Angela Stickle
(angela.stickle@jhuapl.edu) and Hannah Susorney (hsusorney@eoas.ubc.ca)
by COB (5 pm Eastern) November 22, 2017. This should include a
demonstration of financial need and an explanation of how the
applicant’s work relates to the purposes of the SBAG. The letter and CV
should be combined into a single PDF document. Recipients of travel
support will be expected to give a short presentation of their
SBAG-relevant work at the SBAG 18 meeting.

We are providing time on the agenda for early-career scientists and
engineers present at the meeting to introduce themselves and their
research to the community. This will include lightning talks with the
possibility of a small poster session to showcase your work. If you are
interested in participating, please contact the early-career secretary
(Angela.Stickle at jhuapl.edu) ASAP.

The Space Reasearch Centre of Poland is offering one PhD and two
postdoc positions to work with the data to be collected starting from
next spring with the instruments onboard the Trace Gas Orbiter
spacecraft of ESA/IKI’s ExoMars2016 mission, in the fields of
geosciences (hydrothermal processes, volcanism, mineralogy, tectonics,
thermal properties of rocks) and/or atmospheric sciences (atmosphere
circulation modelling). The descriptions are here:

AbGradCon (Astrobiology Graduate Conference) provides a unique setting
for astrobiologically-inclined graduate students and early career
researchers to come together to share their research, collaborate, and
network. AbGradCon 2018 marks the 14th year of this conference – each
time in a different place and organized by a different group of
students, but always with the original charter as a guide. AbGradCon
2018 will be hosted by Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA
from June 4-8, 2018. Application opens on December 1, 2017. For more
details, please visit:

This multi-disciplinary workshop will cover wide range of topics
related to the formation, structure and dynamics of the Solar System
bodies. The workshop is aimed for students (PhD students, but advanced
undergraduate and Master’s students are also welcome) and young
researchers of various backgrounds and different levels of experience
in the fields of planetary science and space exploration. Please visit
out website for more info and get in touch if you are interested!

Applications are invited for a PhD student position to study the plasma
environment of Mars. Big questions remain regarding the topic – did
ancient Mars lose most of its primordial atmosphere in to space, and
how can we address this using current day measurements? Specifically,
the aim of the project is to develop detailed understanding of
electrodynamic processes at the day-night boundary, where steep
gradients in plasma density and temperature are found. Intense, varied
crustal magnetic fields, along with dynamic fields induced by the solar
wind flowing past the planet are also significant here. The new PhD
student will work directly with experimental data from both the ESA
Mars Express and NASA MAVEN missions.

The position is available at the Uppsala office at the Swedish
Institute of Space Physics (IRF), located at the Angstrom Laboratory in
Uppsala, Sweden, starting in 2018 for a total duration of four years.
Information on research at IRF Uppsala can be found at:

Multiple funded PhD positions are available in the Department of Earth,
Planetary, and Space Sciences at UCLA working with Mackenzie Day on
topics related to aeolian geomorphology, sedimentology, and planetary
surface processes. Project opportunities are widely ranging and include
involvement in wind tunnel experiments, field work, and remote sensing
of Mars and other planetary bodies.

The expected start date is Fall 2018. Students will engage in highly
collaborative research with institutions around the country. Applicants
are expected to have a strong background in geology and general
sciences. Those with a strong background in physics or computer science
are particularly encouraged.

Interested candidates should contact Mackenzie Day at daym at uw.edu for
more information and to discuss potential research projects.
Applications should ultimately be submitted at:

We are looking for an enthusiastic student with interest in
astronomy and a strong background in experimental physics or
physical chemistry. The PhD student will work on the photo-
dissociation dynamics of large PAHs, using ion trap and
time-of-flight techniques and initiated by radiation from
a table top Nd:Yag laser system or a free electron laser or
synchrotron facility.

The successful applicant has completed his/her masters, has
a background in molecular spectroscopy and has no major issues
with spoken and written English. Part of the position involves
training secondments in partner Institutes abroad.

Please address your application to linnartz at strw.leidenuniv.nl
with a cc to bouwman at strw.leidenuniv.nl. Add a short motivation
letter, your CV and the names of two persons who are willing to
provide us with a letter of recommendation.

Applications are accepted until this vacancy is filled. We aim
for a starting date as soon as possible and not (much) later
than 01.01.2018.

We at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) are happy to announce plans to launch a first-of-its-kind graduate program in Spaces Resources, with an expected full program implementation in Fall 2018. The proposed program will engage students at different levels, including a post-Baccalaureate Certificate and Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees. It will be geared toward supporting college graduates and professionals interested in expanding their knowledge and skills into the developing field of space resources and in situ resource utilization (ISRU). You can find all relevant information in the Space Resources Program webpage.

In anticipation of this exciting new program, this Fall 2017 we will start offering a course entitled Space Resources Fundamentals (with synchronous distance-learning options available), followed in the Spring by a space systems engineering course, a design project class, and a seminar series, all with a space-resources focus. These classes are planned to be the core courses, so students may be able to apply these credits to their desired degree as the program becomes fully implemented in Fall 2018. CSM faculty across many relevant fields and departments, as well as space scientists and engineers from government agencies, the private aerospace sector, and the mining and mineral industries will be engaged with the program to provide a rich and multi-faceted experience to students.

The LEAG Bernard Ray Hawke Next Lunar Generation Career Development Awards, sponsored by SSERVI

The LEAG Bernard Ray Hawke Next Lunar Generation Career Development Award, sponsored by SSERVI, honors his legacy of scientific achievement, exploration advocacy, and mentorship by providing travel support for up to three early career researchers who submit a first-author abstract to attend the annual LEAG meeting, and in so doing, help these early career researchers grow as productive members of the lunar exploration community. “Early career” is defined as a graduate student, post-doctoral researcher, or someone within 5 years of receiving their PhD.”
Deadline for application is Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time (GMT -5) (same as the abstract deadline).

POSTDOC IN PLANETARY GEOPHYSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA LPL
The Department of Planetary Sciences/Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of the University of Arizona has an opening for a post-doctoral researcher in the areas of planetary geology and geophysics. The successful applicant will carry out research on a project selected to match the applicant. Possible research topics include martian volcanology, martian hydrology, and analysis of lunar gravity data. Research will include quantitative and qualitative analyses of spacecraft data and/or numerical modeling. The applicant will be expected to carry out independent research, give presentations at professional meetings, and prepare publications on the work. For full position details and to apply online, see https://uacareers.com/postings/20418. To request more information, contact Jeff Andrews-Hanna at jcahanna at lpl.arizona.edu.

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Space Science Board.

The autumn program is open to undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline for applications is 2 June. Candidate(s) selected will be contacted no later than 7 July.

There is an open postdoctoral research position open at Southwest
Research Institute’s office in Boulder Colorado to work with Hal
Levison and Kevin Walsh on a variety of topics related to Planet
Formation. More details and application information can be found at:

The Solar System Physics and Space Technology research programme at the
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) in Kiruna invites applications
for PhD student positions in experimental space plasma physics. The
projects focus on data analysis from the ESA cometary mission Rosetta
and on development of instruments for studies of the Jovian system on
the ESA mission to Jupiter, JUICE.

Conference for Early Career Astrobiologists “The Early History of Planetary systems and habitable planets”
Tartu, Estonia, 8 – 10 August 2017

The Astrobiology early career scientists conference “The Early History of Planetary systems and habitable planets” will be hosted in Tartu, Estonia. The event will start on the morning of August 8th and finishes in August 10th in the evening.

The meeting targets all related aspects of the subject. A broad range of contributions on formation and early development of planetary systems and particularly the habitable planets is expected, with links to other fields covered by astrobiology. The main (but by no means exclusive) themes of the conference are:
Formation of protoplanetary disks and planetary systems
Early History of Earth and other planets
Impacts and their role in the evolution of planets
Formation and evolution of planet and satellite atmospheres
Co-evolution of Earth’s geosphere and biosphere and the evolution of life
Habitability and factors influencing it
Life in extreme environments and its possible role in the evolution of life on Earth
The quest for habitable extrasolar planets: detection and characterisation
New aspects of planetary evolution

A large number of bursaries is available for students and early career scientists (up to 8 years after their Ph.D) covering meals and accommodation during the entire meeting (evening August 7th, to morning August 11th). Deadline for registration is 29th June 2017.

Summer school “Formation of complex molecules in space and on planets – From interstellar clouds to life”
Tartu, Estonia, 17 – 22 July 2017

The course “Formation of complex molecules in space and on planets – From interstellar clouds to life” will take place from 17 to 22 July 2017 at the University of Tartu. It aims to give students an overview of the biochemical evolution in the universe from formation of the first molecules in interstellar clouds to the assembly of the first cells on Earth. The course consists of lectures and student-led discussions. Participants will also have the possibility to display their own research results in two poster sessions.The following subjects will be covered by the lectures:
Formation of the elements in space
Chemical processes in dark clouds, star-forming regions and protoplanetary disks
Atmospheric processes in rocky, gaseous planets and their satelites
Emergence of Homochirality
Formation of complx molecules in hydrothermal systems
From carbon molecules to biogenic activity
Assembly of first cells

Participants will also have the possibility to display their own research results in a poster session. Furthermore, a hhalf-day excursion to interesting sites in the area (Ice Age Museum, Lake Peipus) and aalk in Tartu are included as a social programme.

The event is aimed for graduate (masters and Ph. D.) students and early career scientists (up to 8 years after their first Ph. D. in a related field) in fields relevant to astrochemistry and astrobiology. The event is open to applicants from all nationalities. Detailed information about the summer school and the application procedure (deadline 31 May 2017) can be found at the website:http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Tartu2017/

NASA Frontier Development Lab (FDL) has announced its 2017 challenges and opened the application process for participants, with a deadline of April 19, 2017. FDL is looking for 12 planetary scientists and 12 computer scientists with machine-learning emphasis. Applicants must have a masters, doctorate, or post-doc level of understanding in this year’s problem areas (Heliophysics, Astronomy, Exogeology, Data Science, Software Engineering or Advanced Statistics).

Hosted by the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, FDL is an applied research accelerator established to tackle knowledge gaps in space science by bringing together machine learning expertise and physical science specialists at the PhD level. Interdisciplinary teams address tightly defined problems and the format encourages rapid iteration and prototyping to create outputs with meaningful application. The 2017 8-week program will accept 24 participants and will run June 26 – August 18, 2017. The challenge questions for 2017 cover planetary defense, space weather, and space resources.

The Edwards research group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy
at Northern Arizona University seeks two postdoctoral scholars. This
group works on characterizing the surfaces of rocky planets and
instrument development. The successful candidate will carry out
independent research related to the job, is expected to publish
scientific papers and, may submit proposals for external funding.

Minimum Qualifications:
A PhD in geoscience/remote sensing/planetary science or a related field

We are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to work with Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath at UNLV on snow algae-microorganism-mineral interactions and astrobiology education and public outreach. Responsibilities of the position will include:
– Sampling in remote field environments of mineral, snow, algae, and bacteria,
– Laboratory analysis of collected biological and geologic samples
– Growth experiments of snow algae and microorganisms in the presence of minerals
– Presenting work at conferences and writing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
– Curriculum development of astrobiological materials and education and outreach in the local school system
Desired attributes include significant experience performing laboratory and field work, a strong geochemical and microbiological background, and experience with fine scale analytical techniques, with experience with synchrotron techniques a plus. The ideal candidate will also have strong critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Requirements include a PhD at the time of appointment. The successful candidate will receive mentoring in scientific skills, manuscript and proposal writing, teaching, and other career skills. For information about our ongoing research programs please see our website here: http://faculty.unlv.edu/hausrath/index.htm or contact Elisabeth.Hausrath@unlv.edu.

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE SUDBURY FIELD CAMP
** Deadline: June 30, 2017**

The Short Course and Field School at the Sudbury Impact Structure is a week-long classroom and field training program based in Sudbury, Ontario. The goal of the program will be to introduce students to impact-cratering processes and observe, in the field, the attributes of an immense basin-sized impact structure.

Sudbury is known for spectacular shatter cones, tremendously thick melt-bearing impact breccias (the Onaping Formation), and a differentiated impact melt sheet (the Sudbury Igneous Complex). Skills developed during the program should better prepare students for their own thesis studies in impact-cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, Mars, or some other solar system planetary surface.

This field camp is being organized under the auspices of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, which is designed, in part, to train a new generation of explorers for the Moon and beyond. The activity is being led by a SSERVI international partner, the Canadian Lunar Research Network, and coordinated with the LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration.

Please pass this information on to any students who might be interested.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2017

Applications are only accepted using the online application form found at the LPI’s
Sudbury Field Camp website:

Held at the summer campus of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), Palacio de la Magdalena, Santander, Spain on June 25 – 30, 2017.

The theme of this year’s International Summer School in Astrobiology is Exoplanet Habitability. With the discoveries of small planets orbiting nearby stars mounting and new characterization methods appearing, the discovery of life beyond the Solar System may occur in the near future. However, the challenges in recognizing habitable exoplanets, i.e. those with liquid water, remain significant. This school will bring together scientists interested in observational techniques that can probe terrestrial planet properties, as well as the physical processes that dictate planetary features such as planet formation, atmospheric phenomena, and geophysical effects.https://nai.nasa.gov/uimp/2017-international-summer-school-astrobiology/

This year’s application deadline for grants from the Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research is April 7, 2017. This program provides 3 to 5 competitive grants each year in the range of $2,500 to $5,000 USD for support of field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Grant funds may be used to assist with travel and subsistence costs, as well as laboratory and computer analysis of research samples and findings. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students enrolled in formal university programs are eligible. Over the past 15 years, 56 research projects have been supported. For additional details and an application, please go to http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Barringer_Fund/.
For a flyer to post at your institution, please go to http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Barringer_Fund/Barringerflyer_2017.pdf.

The Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research has been established as a memorial to recognize the contributions of Brandon, Moreau, Paul, and Richard Barringer to the field of meteoritics and the Barringer family’s strong interest and support over many years in research and student education. In addition to its memorial nature, the Fund also reflects the family’s long-standing commitment to responsible stewardship of The Barringer Meteorite Crater and the family’s steadfast resolve in maintaining the crater as a unique scientific research and education site.

EUROPLANET GRANTS FOR FIELD WORK IN DANAKIL (ETHIOPIA) AND AT IBN
BATTUTA CENTRE (MOROCCO)

A call of the Europlanet Research Infrastructure for field work in
Ethiopia and Morocco is currently active and the proposal must be
received by March 30th at 12:00 CEST. The Europlanet partners IRSPS
(Italy) and Ibn Battuta Centre (Morocco) are organising the activities
in Ethiopia with major objectives the hydrothermal site of Dallol and
other features such as fan-deltas, lakes, salt flats. In Morocco
several sites are available including the ones described in the Ibn
Battuta web page (see below). Other field sites and laboratories for
simulation and samples data are available under this scheme. The
activities in Danakil will be concentrated in a single expedition
scheduled for January 2018, the ones in Morocco can be carried anytime.
Europlanet RI will cover travel, and field work costs. The call is open
to scientists of any nationality.

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University of Michigan astrophysics group invites applications for a
postdoctoral research fellow in observational Solar System astronomy,
under the supervision of Profs. David Gerdes and Fred Adams. The
successful candidate will help lead our ongoing efforts to search for,
discover, and characterize new objects in the trans-Neptunian Solar
System (including the hypothesized Planet 9) using data collected by
the Dark Energy Survey and related projects in which we are participants.

The University of Michigan is one of the world’s leading public research
universities. Astrophysics research areas include, in addition to Solar
System science, observational and theoretical cosmology, CMB studies,
star and planet formation, gravitational waves, and direct dark matter
searches. The Michigan Astronomy Department has shared time on the
Magellan, MDM, and NOEMA telescope facilities.

We seek an outstanding and motivated scientist with leadership potential,
a strong research background in optical astronomy and analysis of large
data sets, as well as an ability to interpret data in the context of dynamical
models of Solar System evolution. The candidate will be encouraged to
mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. in physics, astrophysics, or astronomy.
This NASA-funded position is for an initial period of one year beginning
in summer or fall 2017, with expectation of renewal for up to two additional
years contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued funding.
To apply, please send a single pdf containing a research statement and
curriculum vitae to Ms. Beth Demkowski, demkowsk at umich.edu.
Candidates should also arrange to have three letters of reference sent to
the same address.

Review of applications will begin on April 15, 2017 and will continue
until the position is filled. The University of Michigan is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer.

This school will give attendees a thorough introduction into impacts,
impactors, and the role of impacts in the evolution of life.

Apart from lectures, poster presentations, student-led discussions and
excursions to geologically interesting sites several practical
exercises including search for meteorite fragments, microscopy of
pollen in order to assess the ecological consequences of impacts,
petrographic microscopy of impactites, electrometric and georadar
mapping of impact sites, excavation into the boundary layer between the
ejecta blanket and the glacial till as well as excursions to other
geologically interesting sites are planned. The website for the summer
school can be found under:

Purdue University is an EOE/AA employer. All individuals, including
minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged
to apply. A background check will be required for employment in this position.

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2017 JOHN N. BAHCALL
PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP

If you love writing, giving talks and meeting new people, if you are energetic
and outgoing, if you have an affection for committee meetings and may be
interested in a career in science policy, consider applying for the 2017
Bahcall Public Policy Fellowship. Applications accepted until March 31, 2017.

The Johns Hopkins University invites applications for a post-doctoral position focused on Mars aeolian studies in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. The research will focus on the use of data from the Mars Science Laboratory and the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Areas of investigation will include the study of dune migration rates and dynamics, abrasion rates, and aeolian landscape modification. Other studies could involve investigations of aeolian processes on Titan and preparatory work on the Mars 2020 mission. Active participation in mission operations is expected.

QUALIFICATIONS
We seek outstanding individuals with a recent PhD in any area of earth and planetary sciences. Candidates with research interests in the areas of planetary and terrestrial aeolian studies, especially those with experience using spacecraft datasets and field work, will be given preference.

The duration of the post-doc is one year with an anticipated extension for a second year. The position carries a competitive salary and fringe benefits, includes an annual stipend for travel and research expenses, and provides eligibility to participate in the Johns Hopkins University postdoc health plans.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Consideration of applications will begin March 13, 2017. Applications can only be submitted electronically through Interfolio. To apply, please submit your curriculum vitae (with your email address), names and emails of three or more references, and a brief research plan. Applicants should contact Nathan Bridges (nathan.bridges@jhuapl.edu) and Kevin Lewis (klewis at jhu.edu).

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students, as well as engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their masters degree (but not planning to pursue a PhD degree), for its 29th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar*, which will be held July 24-28, 2017 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 3, 2017. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://psss.jpl.nasa.gov

This vacancy at DLR Berlin is part of a new DFG Research Unit, focusing
on the development of improved structural and thermal models of rocky
planets and solid exoplanets in close collaboration with experimental and
theoretical research groups studying matter under extreme conditions.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY
Broadly defined as NATURAL SCIENCE (Including Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences)
The University of Missouri Kansas City has a unique postdoctoral opening for 2 yrs. The position is broadly defined as Natural Science, but really means anyone who can align themselves with research in Geosciences, Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry or Math & Statistics. The goal of this Postdoctoral Fellowship is to support the early development of scholars who are from historically underrepresented groups. This position is part of a larger program at UMKC to help create support for several postdocs to be competitive for tenure track positions. It is part of a larger project to increase faculty diversity at UMKC and academia.
Review of applications begins March 1, 2017.
For more information http://info.umkc.edu/hr/careers/academic-positions/ (Job ID 22234)

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in the Dept. of
Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, to work on
numerical simulations and data analysis to understand the environment
in which life originated on the early Earth and potentially on other
planets. The position will be supervised by Prof. David Catling.

The postdoctoral associate will collaborate with a project group to do
research involving a variety of biogeochemical data analyses,
physical-chemical models, and Bayesian inverse models of the Earth
System and atmosphere. Models to constrain environmental conditions
during the origin of life and the spread of early life will also be
considered in the context of Earth-like planets elsewhere.

Applicants must hold a PhD in Earth and Space Sciences, or an
appropriately related field such as Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, or
Geophysics. The candidate should have an aptitude for numerical
modeling and have appropriate associated skills. The successful
candidate will also be encouraged to cooperate with researchers and
students in the university’s cross-campus Astrobiology Program.

The successful candidate will work in collaboration with researchers at
GFZ and UCLA and other institutions in greater Berlin metropolitan area
on the development of numerical codes and comparison with in-situ
observations. The research will be focused on understanding of the
wave-particle interactions and the dynamics of energetic particles in
the near-Earth space. The candidate is expected to have demonstrated
experience of working with numerical simulations and observations. Both
researchers several years after PhD and more senior scientists will be
considered for this position. The level of appointment will depend on
experience and demonstrated ability to conduct independent research.

Tasks:

Perform calculations of the diffusion coefficients and simulations
with the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt Code include and test
various physical processes into the code compare simulations with
satellite observations develop empirical and physics based models of
plasma populations.

Please submit your application by 15th February 2017 quoting the
reference no. 94/23/16 G via email to applications at gfz-potsdam.de.
Please combine your application documents (research objectives, CV
including list of publications and 3 reference contacts) into a single
PDF file with a size of up to 3 megabytes.

This award, which is jointly sponsored by the Meteoritical Society and
the Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of America,
is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who is first author
of the best planetary science paper published in a peer-reviewed
scientific journal during the year prior to the award. Potential
topics include: Asteroids, Comets, Craters, Interplanetary Dust,
Interstellar Medium, Lunar Samples, Meteors, Meteorites, Natural
Satellites, Planets, Tektites, Origin and History of the Solar
System.

The first author must have been a registered student at a degree
awarding institution at the time the paper was submitted to the
publishing journal. Two letters of certification are required: (1)
From the student’s department head attesting that the individual was
a student at the time of paper submission to the publishing journal;
(2) From the student’s advisor detailing the portion of the work done
by the student and contributed by others including the advisor.

The deadline for nominations of 2016 papers is January 31. Submissions
for consideration should be sent (as PDF documents) by email to: Prof.
James Wray, 2016-2017 PGD Chair, jwray at gatech.edu. Further information
is available at:

The Other Worlds Laboratory (OWL) at the University of California,
Santa Cruz (UCSC) announces the 2017 Exoplanet Summer Program
(ESP). Within the program we wish to foster new and existing research
collaborations by outstanding visitors, with stays of 1 to 4 weeks.

Program: The purpose of the program is to allow visitors to generate new
ideas, nurture existing research projects and collaborations, and foster new ones.
There is no theme or focus area – in this fast-moving exoplanets field we want
the participants to drive the discussion and work on areas they feel is most
pressing and exciting. We imagine an ESP program that is modest in terms of
planned activities, besides a daily coffee and seminar with active discussion.
Participants can expect access to shared offices on campus, discussion common
areas, and of course immersion in Santa Cruz’s natural beauty.

Eligibility: Faculty, researchers, postdocs, and graduate students at any level are
invited to apply. Funding is limited, so participant travel support will range from
partial to full.

Applications: Please write 1-2 pages that cover the following areas: The science
that you would like to accomplish while in Santa Cruz, the proposed dates of
your stay, and the science connections that you see with faculty, researchers, or
students within the OWL. Please also include a CV of up to 2 pages. The current
roster of planetary investigators and research at UC Santa Cruz can be found athttp://owl.ucsc.edu/. We particularly welcome joint applications by small groups
wishing to work together on projects. E-mail applications to OWL Director
Jonathan Fortney at jfortney at ucsc.edu.

Information: We will work with program visitors to aid in finding suitable
housing accommodations either on or off campus. Some on campus shared-
apartment-style housing will be available. Keep in mind that Santa Cruz is
a popular summer destination. Please contact Jonathan Fortney by e-mail or
phone, 831-459-1312, with additional questions about the ESP program.

Deadlines: Applications that are received by January 15th, February 15th,
and March 15th, 2017, will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon) 2017
June 5-9, 2017 in Charlottesville, VA
Applications to attend the 2017 Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon) is now open! The deadline to apply is February 6, 2017.

AbGradCon provides a unique setting for astrobiologically-inclined graduate students and early career researchers to come together to share their research, collaborate, and network, without the presence of senior researchers and PIs. AbGradCon 2017 marks the thirteenth year of this conference.

This year, the conference will be held at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, VA. AbGradCon is truly a unique and rewarding experience, and a rare opportunity to learn how your own work fits into the hugely interdisciplinary big picture that is Astrobiology. The presentations and discussion at AbGradCon have the same level of scientific rigor found at more traditional meetings, but with the added benefit of the more fluid interaction one expects from one’s peers.

Conference attendees will share their research over a period of two days. Attendees have the option of presenting a 15-minute talk or presenting a poster. Topics to be covered include astronomy, astrochemistry, exoplanet research, planetary science, geology, atmospheric chemistry, geobiology, computer science, origins of life research, and aerospace engineering, and everything in between. The conference culminates on the third day with attendees participating in an educational field trip.

Applications from exceptional senior undergraduates who will be attending a graduate program in Fall 2017 are welcome to apply. In addition, a virtual Undergraduate Poster Competition will be held for all other interested undergraduates, with at least one winner chosen to attend the conference as a fully-funded participant.

The organizers of AbGradCon strive to keep attendance costs as low as possible to support as many participants as possible, and they have secured significant funds to support travel and participation in the conference for many applicants, with funding levels based on demonstrated need.

POST-DOCTORAL SCIENTIST IN PLANETARY SPACE PHYSICS AT THE SWEDISH
INSTITUTE OF SPACE PHYSICS IN UPPSALA

This project will investigate the structure and dynamics of Saturn’s
ionosphere and its interaction with the charged dust and plasma near
its rings. The Cassini mission will end in 2017 with close orbits
through the ring systems and passages through the upper atmosphere
and ionosphere of Saturn. The Radio & Plasma Wave Science instrument
package includes IRF’s Langmuir probe. Data from this will be analysed
in order to study the ring dust and plasma and make the first detailed
in-situ measurements of Saturn’s ionosphere.

Candidates should have completed a PhD in space physics or a related
field during 2013 or later. Candidates planning to obtain their PhD
before April 2017 may apply. If the candidate has an older degree and
wants to refer to special circumstances, this should be clearly
stated. Candidates should demonstrate experience in spacecraft data
analysis, as part of national and international collaborations.
Experience with theoretical modelling is an advantage, as is an
interest in developing instrumental techniques and methods, and
experience in coordinating scientific activities.

NASA is accepting applications from engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their masters degree but not planning to pursue a PhD degree, science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students, for its 29th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar*, which will be held July 24-28, 2017 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 3, 2017. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://psss.jpl.nasa.gov

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral position at the Swedish
Institute of Space Physics in Uppsala for research related to
scientific studies of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.
Of particular interest are energy and plasma exchange between the
two major regimes of plasma in the near-Earth environment, and the
related flow of electric currents in the high-latitude auroral zone.

Our research group is funded to carry out research utilizing the new
ESA multi-satellite mission SWARM in low Earth orbit in conjunction
with other multi-satellite missions (Cluster, Themis and MMS) in
magnetospheric orbits, and a variety of ground-based instrumentation
(radars, magnetometers and all-sky cameras).

Candidates should have completed a PhD no earlier than
15 December 2013. If the candidate has an older degree and wants to
refer to special circumstances, such as parental leave, this should
be clearly stated. The candidate should not currently be an active
researcher at IRF in Uppsala or at the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at Uppsala University.

The RIS4E SSERVI team is looking for a postdoc to do synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy analyses of experimentally space weathered samples. The person we hire will work with me and Juergen Thieme, the SRX beamline lead at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Please apply if you’re interested and share with any interested parties. Full job ad is pasted below:

Postdoctoral Associate – 1603429

Required Qualifications:
Ph.D. or the equivalent degree from a foreign university, in physics, geosciences, chemistry, geochemistry, or related field in hand by December 31, 2016. Coursework or research experience in synchrotron radiation experiments.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in Synchrotron radiation experiments, Laser experiments, X-ray microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, Mineralogy and geosciences.
Brief Description of Duties:
The Postdoctoral Associate will assist the Principal Investigator in the Department of Geosciences. The main research topic is to conduct X-ray spectromicroscopy experiments at the Sub-micron Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy Beamline at NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, on project-related samples, using a high-power laser to influence the sample properties. Successful incumbent will have effective written and verbal communication skills. The Postdoctoral Associate will have demonstrated outstanding research ability, with an emphasis on critical thinking skills and high productivity.

Within the predetermined research scope and methodology (1) conduct basic X-ray spectromicroscopy experiments with project-related sample material, and (2) design and execute such experiments using high-power laser light to influence sample properties.
Evaluate results within the framework of current understanding of the field, as determined by periodical/literature search.
Participate in manuscript writing for publication in scientific journals and/or presentations. May also assist in grant writing.
Other duties as assigned, which may include participating in experiments related to the actual project, and attending scientific conferences and meetings.

This award is established by the Planetary Science Institute in memory of Senior Scientist Betty Pierazzo to support and encourage graduate students to build international collaborations and relationships in planetary science. Two awards will be made each year, contingent upon there being meritorious applications. One will be awarded to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution within the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting (conferences and workshops) outside of the U.S. The second award will be to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution outside of the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting within the U.S. These include general meetings that have planetary-focused sessions such as the AGU, GSA, EGU, and IAG. The award will consist of a certificate and up to $2000 US.

The application deadline is 9:00 p.m. PST, November 30, 2016. Awards will be announced on or before December 9, 2016.

The Reaction Dynamics Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, invites applications for three postdoctoral positions. The appointment period is initially for one year, but can be renewed annually based on availability of funds and satisfactory progress. The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Successful applicants should have a strong background in one or more of the following: experimental reaction dynamics, molecular beams, combustion chemistry, low temperature condensed phase, UHV technology, pulsed laser systems, four wave mixing schemes, pulsed lasers, labview.

– Position: Astrochemistry (Condensed Phase). The goal of these experiments is to probe the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs) in star forming regions via the interaction of ionizing radiation (charged particles; VUV) with ices exploiting a surface science machine along with reflectron time of flight mass spectrometry (Re-TOF); structural isomers are identified selectively by utilizing single photon tunable vacuum ultraviolet light generated by four wave mixing processes.

– Position: Planetary Sciences (Condensed Phase). The primary interest of these studies is to explore the formation and destruction of water on the Moon via interaction of the Solar Wind with silicates.

Solid communication skills in English (written, oral), a publication record in internationally circulated, peer-reviewed journals, and willingness to work in a team are mandatory. Only self-motivated and energetic candidates are encouraged to apply. Please send a letter of interest, three letters of recommendation, CV, and publication list to Prof. Ralf I. Kaiser, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2275, USA ralfk at hawaii.edu. Applicants must demonstrate their capability to prepare manuscripts for publications independently. The review of applications will start January 1, 2017, and continues until the position is filled. A description of our current research group can be found at http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/Bil301/welcome.html.

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2017-2018 academic year. This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from this competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2017, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2017.

The NESSF call for proposals and submission instructions are located at the NESSF 17 solicitation index page at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ – click on “Solicitations” then click on “Open Solicitations” then select the “NESSF17” announcement. Also refer to “Program Specific Questions” and “Frequently Asked Questions” listed under “Other Documents” on the NESSF17 solicitation index page.

All proposals must be submitted in electronic format only through the NASA NSPIRES system. The faculty advisor has an active role in the submission of the fellowship proposal. To use the NSPIRES system, the faculty advisor, the student, and the university must all register. Extended instructions on how to submit an electronic proposal package are posted on the NESSF 17 solicitation index page listed above. You can register in NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/.

2-year post-doc position in the area of studying the formation and/or modification of impact craters on small solar system bodies (dwarf planets, moons, and/or asteroids). Applicants must have their PhD conferred between August 31, 2013 and the time they start the position, which has to be between July 1 and September 1, 2017. Application deadline is January 5, 2017. The successful applicant will need to be in residence in Flagstaff during the 2-year period. More information, including the link to submit the application, can be found by going to http://nau.edu/Human-Resources/Careers/Staff-Welcome-Page/, clicking on the Search Jobs Now button, and inputting the following position number into the search box: 602871.

We are looking to fill two post-doctoral positions at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center to do research on planetary atmospheres. Specifically, these are the research topics:
– ExoMars/Trace-Gas-Orbiter studies of the Martian atmosphere.
– JWST observations of Solar System bodies and Exoplanets.
– Cometary observations of isotopic/isomeric signatures employing ground-based observatories.
If you are interested, please send an email to geronimo.villanueva@nasa.gov with your CV, and if you are at the DPS/EPSC conference please try also to contact me personally.

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Postdoctoral
Scholars Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) invites
applications for a postdoctoral research position in JPL’s Planetary
Science Section. The research will involve coordination of Earth-based
supporting observations for the Juno mission and Juno observations
themselves.

The Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland (located in
College Park, MD) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty
position. Accomplished candidates in any area of astronomy,
astrophysics, or planetary science are encouraged to apply. We are
searching for candidates at the Assistant Professor (tenure-track)
level, but will consider applications for tenured ranks in exceptional
cases. A PhD in astronomy, physics, planetary science, or a related
discipline is required, and the successful candidate must have an
established record of research excellence. Candidates are expected to
have a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and
mentorship at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

A three year postdoc position at the University of St Andrews (UK) is
now available, working on the scientific development and field-testing
of ESA ExoMars PanCam, Infrared Spectrometer, and Close-Up Imager
instruments.

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State
University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate
who will serve as an Exploration Fellow. The mission of the
postdoctoral Fellowship is to foster SESE’s interdisciplinary
research program by attracting and supporting outstanding early-career
scientists and engineers to pursue independent research in
collaboration with SESE faculty. Research areas within SESE encompass
astrobiology, astrophysics, cosmology, Earth and planetary science,
instrumentation and systems engineering, and science education.

Anticipated start date for the position is July 2017. The expected
duration of the Fellowship is three years.

Desired Qualifications:
(1) research proposal that demonstrates relevance, interdisciplinary
merit, and/or potential impact of the proposed research activities
to the overarching “big picture” research questions in the field
and to the mission of SESE,
(2) a record of prior achievement and experience demonstrating
the potential to accomplish proposed research objectives, and
(3) evidence of strong verbal and written communication skills.

Application materials/questions should be submitted by email to
exppd at asu.edu, addressed to the Exploration Fellowship Committee.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is
seeking a Post-doctoral Researcher to undertake interdisciplinary
planetary science research as part of the Space Exploration Sector’s
Planetary Exploration Group.

Job Summary: The successful candidate will engage in research on the
thermal and physical properties of the lunar regolith and polar
regions. Working with scientists on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
mission, the candidate will analyze data from the Diviner and Mini-RF
instruments. These data will be compared to other relevant data sets.
A model will be developed to interpret the results with respect to the
distribution and stability of volatiles in the lunar polar regions.
A candidate who has experience in both remote sensing data anlysis
and computational modeling is especially desired.

Qualifications include a doctorate in geology, planetary science, or
applicable science or engineering field, a strong record of successful
publication of research results, and a demonstrated ability to manage
time effectively on two or more projects. Familiarity with Diviner or
Mini-RF data sets and computational modeling is desired.

Dear Colleague,
On behalf of David Deamer, Editor-in-Chief of Life (ISSN 2075-1729), we are pleased to inform you that we will be offering a “Life Travel Award 2017” to one postdoc or PhD student to assist her/him in attending an international conference in 2017.
Applicants’ requirements:
Applicants must be postdoc or PhD students involved in the life sciences, especially those concerned with the origins of life and evolution of biosystems
Will participate in an international conference in 2017 (oral presentation or poster) and provide a letter of acceptance from the conference organizers
Candidates are required to submit the following documents:
The abstract for the conference
CV, along with a one page statement from the candidate describing his/her research interests and a list of publications
A letter of recommendation from his/her supervisor or PI (principal investigator). The supervisor or PI should sign and confirm that the applicants fulfill all the requirements
The awardee is expected to acknowledge support from the Life journal on their poster presentation
The awarded applicant will receive a grant of 800 Swiss Francs to support travel expenses.
The application process is now open and the deadline is 31 March 2017.
If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please go directly to the “Life Travel Award 2017” page and submit the application to life@mdpi.com.
Please feel free to forward this email and share it with your colleagues.
Kind regards,
Ms. Changzhen Fu
Assistant Managing Editor

The submission deadline for first-stage proposals is Friday, September 9, 2016, 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. First-stage finalists will be notified by Friday, October 28, 2016, and must submit a second-stage proposal by Thursday, December 1, 2016.

From David Williams:
The Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) of the Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT) is seeking a Student Member to join the committee, which advises NASA on issues related to the geological mapping of planetary surfaces. We are seeking either a current Ph.D. graduate student working a geological map for eventual publication by the USGS, or a recent Ph.D. graduate (within one year of degree attainment) working a a geological map.

To apply, we request a CV and answers to these questions:

a) what is your experience in planetary geologic mapping and what role in your graduate research will/does planetary geologic mapping play?

b) are you able to attend the annual meeting of planetary geologic mappers (June) and LPSC in the next 2-3 years?

c) why would you like to serve on GEMS?

Please send your application to the GEMS Chair, Dr. David A. Williams at David.Williams at asu.edu by September 30, 2016.

The Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship that will address a variety of investigations related to the hydrologic evolution of Mars. Applicants, with recent PHDs, should have a strong background in math, hydrology, groundwater modelling (MODFLOW), and computer programing (FORTRAN and/or Matlab). Additional experience in one or more of the following: planetary science, remote sensing, and/or Global Climate Modeling, is preferred but is not a prerequisite for selection.

The successful candidate will work with Dr. Stephen Clifford at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas. The position is for two years, with a possible extension to a third year. The candidate is expected to work half-time in support of Dr. Clifford’s NASA-funded research and half-time on their own individual research projects, which may utilize the computational and analytical resources at LPI and the nearby NASA Johnson Space Center. The candidate will be encouraged to propose for external funding, participate in grant review panels and analysis groups, and become further involved with spacecraft missions.

Review of candidates will begin on October 17, 2016, with a hiring decision as soon as possible thereafter.

The Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award is for undergraduate or
graduate students, of any nationality, working in any country, in the disciplines
of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, or biology. The award,
which will include $2500, is to be applied for the study of impact craters, either
on Earth or on the other solid bodies in the solar system. Areas of study may
include but shall not necessarily be limited to impact cratering processes; the
bodies (asteroidal or cometary) that make the impacts; or the geological, chemical,
or biological results of impact cratering. Details about the award as well as an
application form for interested students can be found at

*Postdoctoral Position Reaction Dynamics & Planetary Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA*

The Reaction Dynamics Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, invites applications for two postdoctoral positions. The appointment period is initially for one year, but can be renewed annually based on avail­a­b­ility of funds and satisfactory progress. The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Successful applicants should have a strong background in experimental reaction dynamics, UHV tech­nology, REMPI, and pulsed laser systems. The goal of the experiments is to probe the formation of water and hydroxyl radicals on the Moon via interaction of ionizing radiation (Solar Wind) with lunar (analog) silicates.

Solid communication skills in English (written, oral), a publication record in internationally circulated, peer-reviewed journals, and willingness to work in a team are man­da­to­ry. Only self-motivated and energetic candidates are encouraged to apply. Please send a letter of interest, three letters of recommendation, CV, and publication list to Prof. Ralf I. Kaiser, De­partment of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2275, USA [ralfk at hawaii.edu ]. Applicants must demonstrate their capability to prepare manuscripts for publications independently. The review of applications will start August 1, 2016, and continues until the position is filled. A description of our current research group can be found at http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/Bil301/welcome.html.

The Planetary Exploration Instrumentation Laboratory
(http;//pil.esse.yorku.ca) is seeking a post-doctoral fellow for a
period of up to two years to support an industry-led project at York
University in Toronto. The project involves the development and
characterization of a combined Laser-induced breakdown/Raman/
Laser-induced fluorescence spectrometer. The applicant will have
primary responsibility for characterizing the instrument against a
variety of Mars exploration related requirements.

To meet the requirements of the program, the successful applicant
will have a doctoral degree (PhD) in physics, chemistry, geology or
a similar field completed within the last five years. Experience in
optical instrumentation, related analytical methods or techniques
is an asset. The start date is flexible with a prior to or for
January 2017 being ideal. Interested applicants should enquire with
Dr. Michael Daly (dalym at yorku.ca).

The Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (http://cpsx.uwo.ca)
and the NSERC CREATE program “Technologies and Techniques for Earth
and Space Exploration” (http://create.uwo.ca) are pleased to announce
the 7th annual Planetary Science Short Course, which will run August 29
to September 4, 2016 in London, ON, Canada. Topics to be covered
include origin of the solar system and planet formation; planetary
interiors; planetary surfaces; astromaterials, planetary atmospheres;
astrobiology, and exoplanets. Details on the course can be found here:

we are writing to advertise the opening of our PhD general call for 14 PhD positions (11 out of 14 with scholarship) at the Sapienza, University of Roma, in convention with the University of Roma “Tor vergata” and INAF.

– The research fields covered by the PhD program are:
i) Galactic and extragalactic Astrophysics,

Application forms and instructions can be found here and in particular here, here (pages 2-3) and here.

The applicant should prepare a single compressed file named with his surname preceded by his name’s first initial and an underscore symbol (e.g. for the applicant Carlo Rossi the file should be called C_Rossi.tar.gz).
The file has to be sent to the e-mail addressaassphd@uniroma1.it specifying in the subject field the name and surname of the applicant, and must contain the following documentations:
1) motivation letter (maximum one A4 page), written by the candidate. The letter must state the preferred field of research area among the ones available, see points i)-iv) in the Generalities section above, and provide a brief description of the research line of interest.
2) Curriculum Vitae of the candidate.
3) List and marks of all the courses taken during the Bachelor and Master degrees.
4) Final marks of the bachelor and master degrees.
5) List of publications and all other documents that the applicant considers relevant. The publications and documents must be included in the application file.
6) Names and addresses of two teachers/researchers who will write letters of reference.

IMPORTANT: The two letters of reference should NOT be attached to the application, but should be sent, no later than the deadline of this call, directly by the teachers/researchers at the same e-mail address:aassphd@uniroma1.it.
It is responsibility of the candidate to verify that teachers/researchers send the reference letters in time.
It is strongly appreciated that the letters of reference are written according to these templates:
letterofreference.docx (word)
letterofreference.pdf (pdf)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS is August 1st, 2016
Publication of the list of candidates admitted to the interview: September 9th, 2016
Interviews will starts on September 12th, 2016, at 9 am
The site for the interviews is the Department of Physics of Sapienza, Unversità di Roma sala Lauree, 1st floor of the G. Marconi building.

Upon request, the interview can be done via teleconference. In this case, the candidate should necessarily indicate a Skype account and needs to be equipped with a webcam suitable for a Skype videocall.

The starting date of the PhD course is November 2nd 2015 (2016?).

We would be grateful if you could bring this email to the attention of suitable candidates.

PLANETARY SCIENCES EXPLORATION POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA (UCF)

The Department of Physics (physics.cos.ucf.edu) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the Florida Space Institute (FSI) invite applications for a post-doctoral position as part of the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). We seek candidates with interests in exploration-related planetary science including, but not limited to, primitive asteroid mineralogy, regolith processes, and in-situ resource utilization. Applicants must have a Ph.D. at the time of appointment in Geological Sciences, Planetary Sciences, or a closely related discipline. The successful applicant is expected to be involved in CLASS projects related to the physical properties of asteroidal materials, development of asteroid regolith simulants, and asteroid regolith processes. Interested individuals should provide include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, summary of research, and a list of three professional references with contact information to Dr. Daniel Britt (dbritt at ucf.edu).
Screening of applications will continue until the position is filled.

The Center for Space Physics at Boston University invites applications
for a postdoctoral researcher position supervised by Professor Paul
Withers. The research will involve the analysis of radio occultation
observations of the ionospheres of Saturn, Titan, and Mars. Candidates
should possess a PhD degree in a relevant field. Experience conducting
research on planetary ionospheres is desirable. The salary offered will
be competitive and commensurate with experience. Funding is available
for two years with the possibility of extension. The appointment is
expected to begin as soon as possible after 1 September 2016. Please
contact Paul Withers (withers at bu.edu) for further information.

Applications should be sent by email to Paul Withers (withers at bu.edu).

The application should be submitted in PDF format and contain a
curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and contact
information for three referees. Review of applications will begin on
1 July 2016. Women and underrepresented minorities are particularly
encouraged to apply. Boston University is an equal opportunity/
affirmative action employer.

The GPS division at Caltech invites applications for a post-doctoral scholar to join a joint project with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory aimed at constraining sources and processes affecting water and other volatiles on Mars, including analytical studies of martian meteorites and experimental studies of associated processes. The successful candidate will conduct shock recovery experiments that define the physical and chemical effects of impact melting on basalts, especially the loss and gain of volatile components from impact melts. Associated analytical investigations of impact melts in both experimental specimens and in martian meteorites will include secondary ion mass spectrometry and electron microprobe techniques.

The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program is a supplement to graduate education in astronomy, intended to teach astronomy students essential skills for dealing with big data.

Interested in becoming a student? You don’t need to know anything about data science to apply, you just need to be excited to learn! Here’s a partial list of topics the LSSTC DSFP will cover: the basics of managing and building code, statistics, machine learning, scalable programming, data management, image processing, visualization, and communication.http://ciera.northwestern.edu/Education/LSSTC_Fellowship.php

The Planetary Science Institute (EOE/M/F/Vet/Disability) in collaboration
with The CosmoQuest Virtual Research Facility is interested in hiring two
Postdoctoral Research Scientists with concentrations in (1) earth and
planetary science and (2) astrophysics and heliophysics, to work closely
with scientists, educators, and the general public through CosmoQuest.
CosmoQuest provides the general public and educators opportunities to
learn through classes and web content, and to contribute to NASA SMD
related science in meaningful ways. These postdocs are research-focused
positions. Postdocs will collaboratively work to ensure that citizen science
results can be used to advance the understanding of the universe, and will
be expected to aid in or lead projects that produce peer-reviewed science
publications. The official job(s) description and application can be found athttp://www.psi.edu/about/hr under “Science Support Staff – Current Openings.”

The Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Alabama seeks two graduate students, one at the master’s level and one at the PhD level, to begin studies in either the spring or fall semester of 2017 working on a NSF-funded project titled “Characterizing the Physical/Chemical Evidence of Volcanic Lightning.”

The project will involve geochemical and textural analyses of manufactured ash samples, utilizing techniques including, but not limited to, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atom probe tomography (APT), and transmission electron microscopy. The project will also involve triggered-lightning experiments conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Florida at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing, which will occur during the summer. Graduate students are expected to use various aspects of the project to write their thesis and dissertation, in addition to scientific manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication and abstracts for international scientific conferences. The project will also involve extensive outreach to local grade school students in west-central Alabama and development of curricula for public schools.

Geology students with experience in analytical geochemistry, electromagnetics, volcanology, and engineering will be considered. Interested individuals should send their CV, in addition to a statement of research interests and experience to Dr. Kimberly Genareau at kdg@ua.edu.

Graduate applications to the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alabama are due by October 15, 2016 for the spring 2017 term and March 15, 2017 for the fall 2017 term but should be completed earlier if possible at http://graduate.ua.edu/prospects/application/. Highly competitive applicants may also be eligible for scholarships through the Department of Geological Sciences (http://geo.ua.edu).

The Planetary Photogrammetry Guest Facility at the Astrogeology Science
Center of the U.S. Geological Survey would like to announce its Call
for Participation for a training opportunity on July 25-27, 2016. This
training will cover photogrammetric processing of planetary stereo
imagery using USGS Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers
and SOCET SET software developed by BAE Systems. The training is FREE
to participants, and will cover end-to-end, hands-on photogrammetric
procedures for surface extraction (i.e., digital elevation model
generation) from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE image pairs. For
additional information and application instructions, please see

This year the XXVIII Edition of the Winter School of Astrophysics,
organized by the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, is focused
on the exploration of the Solar System. The school will be held in
the UNESCO word heritage city of San Cristobal de La Laguna, in
Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) in November, 7-16, 2016.

The school in intended for post-graduate students in Astrophysics
completing their PhD, and also to young postdocs. It is limited to
50 participants, and will provide several advanced courses in specific
topics like planetary space missions, asteroids, comets, origin and
evolution of the Solar System and a small workshop on planetary data
archiving and image processing.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships at the University of Bath
From: Carole Mundell [c.g.mundell_at_bath.ac.uk]

Applications are invited for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships in astrophysics to be hosted at the University of Bath. Please direct informal queries to the Head of Astrophysics, Professor Carole Mundell (c.g.mundell_at_bath.ac.uk).

The Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee,
invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher in planetary aeolian
science. Research will focus on use of the planetary wind tunnel
facilities at the NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, and may
also include spacecraft data analyses. The successful applicant will
be expected to contribute to on-going wind tunnel investigations and to
develop new areas of research. Applicants should have a PhD in the
physical sciences (planetary science, geology, physics, or related
fields).

The position will be located at the University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, TN, and will involve semi-annual travel to the NASA Ames
Research Center in California.

The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal for an
additional year, and includes a competitive salary and benefits
package. Review of applications will begin July 1, 2016, and the
position will remain open until filled.

Applicants should sent a single pdf file with resume, brief statement
of research experience and interests, and names and addresses of three
potential references to Prof. Devon Burr (dburr1 at utk.edu), to whom
inquires should be directed.

The University of Tennessee is a EEO/AA/Title IX/Section 504/ADA
employer.

The Department of Planetology and Habitability at the Centro de
Astrobiologia (CAB) invites applications for a postdoctoral position to
support investigations on the nature of the early Mars environments.
The successful candidate will work with Dr. Alberto Fairen in the
ERC-funded Project “icyMARS”:

Applicants should have a recent Ph.D. in the field of Planetary Science
or related discipline, and a background in Mars research. Expertise in
Geochemistry or Microbiology would be helpful, but not required.

The position, placed in Madrid, would be for two years, with possible
extension to a third year contingent upon funding availability and
satisfactory performance. Benefits include working in a young
enthusiastic team at one of the leading Planetary Sciences institutions
in Europe, full social benefits according to the Spanish social care
system, and a very competitive salary.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum with a list
of publications, a brief (maximum two pages) statement of research
interests, and a list of three references, no later than July 1 2016,
to Alberto Fairen (agfairen at cab.inta-csic.es).

The starting date is negotiable, but should be no later than Jan 1,
2017.

Open call for fellowship programme in Poland, co-funded from the EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, supporting international incoming researchers working in the broad field of basic research, regardless of their nationality. It is targeted at researchers who may apply for 12- or 24-month fellowships
in host institutions in Poland, both academic and non-academic, public or private. Apart from living and mobility allowances, amounting to € 4 350 gross per month (and a family allowance of € 300 gross per month, which will be paid taking due account of the researcher’s family situation), they are offered a grant to
cover the costs of the proposed research. The fellows are also given an opportunity to participate in a variety of research and non-research training programmes provided by the NCN and the host institutionhttps://www.ncn.gov.pl/sites/default/files/pliki/POLONEZ_2_guidelines_for_applicants.pdf

The SETI Institute has partnered with NASA HQ, NVIDIA and the Asteroid
Grand Challenge for a summer research project aimed at pairing young
planetary scientists with early-career machine learning software
developers to “hack” various datasets pertaining to the tracking
and cataloging of NEO’s. The idea is to see what can be gleaned
from such datasets by applying some of the latest developments in
machine learning to analyze the data in new and innovative ways.

We are looking for more applicants to the project from the planetary
science community, where the target is PhD candidates or postdocs.
The project will run for ~6 weeks this summer, and will be hosted
here at SETI Institute. Participants will be housed at dormitories
at NASA Ames. Applications due April 24.

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 28th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will be held July 25-29, 2016 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 6, 2016. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first
2016 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and
graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and
engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients
to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Spring
2016 Travel Grant application deadline is April 1, 2016. Jerry Soffen,
a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including
serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for
the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s
dedication to educating and involving future generations in space
science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials
and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

The LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration is excited to announce a student field camp opportunity coming this fall! The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is organized under the auspices of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), which is designed, in part, to train a new generation of explorers for the Moon and beyond.

The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is a week-long geology field class and research project based at Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, more popularly known as Meteor Crater. The goal will be to introduce students to impact cratering processes and provide an opportunity to assist with a research project at the crater. Skills developed during the field camp should better prepare the students for their own thesis studies in impact cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, asteroids, Mars, or some other solar system planetary surface.

The field camp is designed for graduate college students in geology and planetary science programs, although advanced undergraduate students will be considered if they have successfully completed a summer field geology program and have a demonstrated interest in impact cratering processes. U.S. and international students are eligible to apply.

The fourth edition of the program will run from September 3, 2016, through September 11, 2016. Students are responsible for transportation to and from Flagstaff, Arizona. Transportation will be provided from Flagstaff to Meteor Crater. Additional logistical details will be provided to selected participants.

I applied to this opportunity and still waiting for the results. It was mentioned in the website that applicant’s notification is last July 7. If I didn’t receive any email from them, does this mean I wasn’t accepted? I already sent them an email about this inquiry, but I didn’t get a response. 😦

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 28th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will be held July 25-29, 2016 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 6, 2016. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov

This year’s application deadline for grants from the Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research is April 8, 2016. This program provides three to five competitive grants each year in the range of $2500 to $5000 USD for support of field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Grant funds may be used to assist with travel and subsistence costs, as well as laboratory and computer analysis of research samples and findings. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students enrolled in formal university programs are eligible.

The Duke Initiative for Science & Society invites applications for the 2016-2017 Science Communication Fellowship Program. This fellowship is intended for individuals with a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, JD) who are interested in an academic or policy career in science communication.

Science & Society:
The Duke Initiative for Science & Society (“Science & Society”) examines the wide-ranging and integral role of science in social institutions and culture. Science & Society integrates and fosters innovation in related research, education, and engagement at Duke by adopting an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how science and human endeavors intersect with a specific focus on ethical, legal, and social implications for science. For more info:

The Fellowship:
The Science & Society Fellowship is a residential one-year fellowship, with a possibility for renewal for a second year in limited circumstances. Fellows dedicate approximately two thirds of their time supporting the activities of Science & Society and one third of their time on self-directed research in science communication, education, and/or outreach. Fellows are provided with office space, a competitive stipend, and benefits.

Fellowship Responsibilities:
Support Science & Society activities:
• Help plan, coordinate, and conduct the Science Communication Fellows Program, which provides an opportunity for Duke faculty and postdocs to develop communication skills and put those skills into action.
• Teach or co-teach one to two classes
• Support the Broader Impact Resource Center (BIRC), a project which assists members of the Duke research community in their efforts to develop, implement, and assess programs focusing on the broader impacts of their research.
• Help plan and implement Science & Society workshops and events
• Complete other tasks as requested

Scholarship at the intersection of science and society:
• Complete at least one mentored research project which culminates in a manuscript of publishable quality
• Participate in bioethics conferences, workshops, and seminars as appropriate

The Application Process:
Applicants should submit a CV, contact information for three references, a writing sample, an explanation of interest and experience in science communication, and a research proposal (in 2,000 words or less) to Mary Jo Smith (mary.jo.smith@duke.edu). The subject line of the email application should read “Application 2016 Science Communication Fellowship Program” and must be received no later than 5 p.m. on March 5, 2016. Fellows will be chosen based on demonstrated academic merit, on likelihood of future success in academia or science communication, and on the strength of their research proposals. Finalists will be notified by April 30, 2016.
Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

New Postdoctoral Science Teaching Fellow in Physics at UC Santa Cruz. The postdoc will be part of a new project at UC Santa Cruz to transform undergraduate introductory courses in biology, chemistry and physics. We already have two teaching postdocs hired, one in chemistry and one in biology, and this will be the third, with a focus on physics. The project is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Part of the HHMI grant is funding Postdoctoral Science Teaching Fellows, who will work with faculty members on designing and teaching new courses.

A two-year research contract will start in early 2016 at the Laboratoire
de Physique Atmosphérique et Planétaire (Liège University, Belgium).
We are looking for a postdoc to work on a new project on the Martian
atmosphere in relation with the Mars Express and the upcoming
TGO/EXOMARS ESA’s missions. The candidate should be familiar with
analysis of optical observations related to emission and absorption of
radiation in terrestrial planets’ atmospheres. If you know of researcher(s)
who could be interested by this position, please contact JC Gerard
(at jc.gerard at ulg.ac.be).

The course aims to give participants a thorough introduction into influence of volcanism, plate tectonics on life and the role of hydrothermal vents in the emergence of life. It is co-organised by the European Astrobiology Campus (http://astrobiology-campus.eu/), the Nordic Network of Astrobiology and the COST Action “Origins and Evolution of Life in the Universe”. The summer school, which is held in the picturesque town of Angra de Heroísmo (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) will include:

Bursaries including travel grants are available for students and early career investigators affiliated to universities in most European countries. For further information about the summer school please check the website:

Postdoctoral Scientist in Radio Astronomy at the Arecibo Observatory.
The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is seeking applicants for a Postdoctoral Scientist position at the Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The Arecibo Observatory is managed for the NSF by a consortium comprising SRI International, USRA, and Universidad Metropolitana. It is home to the largest radio telescope in the world and conducts research programs in Radio Astronomy, Planetary Radar, and Atmospheric Sciences. All appointments are contingent upon the continuation of the cooperative agreement with the NSF for the operation of Arecibo Observatory.

The applicant is expected to have:

– Research interests in any field of radio astronomy that can be effectively pursued with the Arecibo telescope
– Observational interests in the following research areas: pulsars, the interstellar medium as probed by HI, OH and/or molecular lines in the Milky Way and other galaxies, properties of galaxies, cosmology, and high sensitivity VLBI
– Maintained an independent research program and are encouraged to apply for partial funding support.

Hello all,
Not sure if this is the best spot to post a question on this website, but thought I would give it a shot! I’m wondering, what does everyone tell non-scientists who don’t understand the importance of their field? Especially since the holidays are coming up, and will be meeting a lot of family and friends asking the ever popular “what do you do?” It’s sometimes difficult to explain what I study to non-scientists, and more difficult explaining WHY. More than once I’ve gotten comments such as “we should be funding things like cancer research, not frivolous things like space dust!” And explaining that this space dust gives us clues to how our solar system formed pretty much leads to “yea, so what?”

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Postdoctoral Scholars Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in JPL’s Ice Spectroscopy Laboratory (ISL).
The research will involve laboratory simulations to understand surface processes on icy bodies such as Europa and on Titan. Dr. Murthy Gudipati (Principal Scientist), in JPL’s Planetary Sciences Section, will serve as JPL postdoctoral advisor to the selected candidate. Candidates should have a recent PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Planetary Science, or related scientific area with a strong background in advanced laboratory physical chemistry/chemical physics . Experience in planetary sciences, astrochemistry, and astrobiology is highly desirable. Candidates who have received their PhD within the past five years since the date of their application are eligible. This positions is for one-year and may be renewed up to a maximum of three years based on performance and availability of funds. Arrange for 2-3 letters of reference letters to be sent to:

Associated faculty are Prof. Mansi Kasliwal, Tom Prince and Shri
Kulkarni. Scientific interest in any area of time domain astronomy
is welcome, e.g. asteroids, electromagnetic counterparts to
gravitational waves, supernovae, stellar mergers. Applicants willing
to spend some time undertaking software and hardware challenges will
be given special consideration. This position starts September 2016 or
even earlier. The duration of the fellowship is up to three years: an
initial one-year appointment with annual renewals contingent upon
satisfactory performance and availability of funds. Fellowship
recipients will have the opportunity to propose for time on all of
Caltech’s astronomical facilities, including those at Palomar
Observatory and at the W. M. Keck Observatory.

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of
California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for the position of
Morrison Postdoctoral Fellow in Astronomy. For this year’s Morrison
Fellowship we are specifically targeting exoplanetary science.

UCSC is the home of the University of California Observatories (UCO),
with facilities including the Lick and Keck Observatories and Thirty
Meter Telescope (TMT) International Observatory. It is also one of the
world’s leading centers for research in computational astrophysics.
The 3000-core Hyades cluster is the on-campus centerpiece of UCSC
computational astrophysics. Close collaborations exist between
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physics, Earth & Planetary Sciences, and
Applied Mathematics & Statistics.

Applicants should be able to contribute to the Department of Astronomy
and Astrophysics in exoplanetary science investigations that are
either observational or theoretical in nature.

ROGER E. DEANE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW OPPORTUNITY
The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto invites applications for the Roger E. Deane Postdoctoral Fellowship, a highly competitive fellowship in any field of Earth Science. The department is interested in supporting innovative research and outstanding young geoscientists to work in collaboration with one or more faculty members. Applicants are encouraged to contact potential hosts in advance to discuss areas of common interest. The Deane Postdoctoral Fellowship has an annual salary of CAD$50,000 and is awarded for a one-year period, with an anticipated extension for a second year. Anticipated start date is Sept. 2016, but earlier start dates are possible.

Applications are now being accepted for two Visiting Scientist
positions funded through the Universities Space Research Association
(USRA) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science
and Technology (CRESST), to work in the Planetary Magnetospheres
Laboratory of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the area
of Jupiter’s magnetic field and magnetosphere, using data from the Juno
(New Frontier) mission.

The selectees will work on site at GSFC in the Solar System Exploration
Division as a member of the Juno Magnetometer Investigation Team,
participating in data analysis and scientific studies, leading to
publication of results in scientific journals. Candidates for this
position should have a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline with
6+ years’ experience conducting scientific research. Experience with
magnetometer instrumentation and data, disciplined programming skills
(primarily IDL and Fortran), and scientific writing experience are
desired.

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2016-2017 academic year. This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from this competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2016, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2016.

The NESSF call for proposals and submission instructions are located at the NESSF 16 solicitation index page at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ – click on “Solicitations” then click on “Open Solicitations” then select the “NESSF 16” announcement. Also refer to “Program Specific Questions” and “Frequently Asked Questions” listed under “Other Documents” on the NESSF 16 solicitation index page.

All proposals must be submitted in electronic format only through the NASA NSPIRES system. The faculty advisor has an active role in the submission of the fellowship proposal. To use the NSPIRES system, the faculty advisor, the student, and the university must all register. Extended instructions on how to submit an electronic proposal package are posted on the NESSF 16 solicitation index page listed above. You can register in NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/.

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of
California Davis seeks an outstanding scholar whose study of the
origin, transformation, or deformation of Earth and planetary
materials addresses major processes in the solid Earth. This
tenure-track faculty position is the first of multiple anticipated
faculty searches directed at understanding the formation and
evolution of Earth and other rocky planets, and we seek applicants
whose work expands and amplifies our current research strengths.
Appointment at the Assistant Professor level is anticipated. The
department’s research programs and experimental, analytical and
computational facilities are described at:

Candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, publication list,
statements of research plans and teaching interests, and names and
addresses of four references by December 20, 2015, Applications
should be submitted online via the job listing JPF00738 at:

LPSL/MUST is a newly formed research institute currently housing 20
PhD researchers. The Laboratory is funded by the Macau government
with the objective to establish a regional leading center in the field
of planetary sciences. Current research topics include:

The Laboratory has now several postdoctoral/research associate
openings ready to be filled immediately. Salaries are in the range
US$30,000-42,000/yr. Housing allowance (up to US$5,000/year) is
negotiable. Two-year terms are renewable subject to performance and
availability of funding. Interested persons please contact Kwing
Lam Chan (klchan@must.edu.mo) before December 1, 2015.

K.L. Chan will attend the 47th DPS Meeting at Washington DC to
present a poster (Poster Number: 311.29, Session Time: November
11, 15:30-18:00). You are invited to talk to him if you are
interested and happen to be in the Meeting.

This award is established by the Planetary Science Institute in memory
of Senior Scientist Betty Pierazzo to support and encourage graduate
students to build international collaborations and relationships in
planetary science. Two awards will be made each year, contingent upon
there being meritorious applications. One will be awarded to a graduate
student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution within the U.S.
This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting
(conferences and workshops) outside of the U.S. The second award will
be to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution
outside of the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science
related meeting within the U.S. These include general meetings that
have planetary-focused sessions such as the AGU, GSA, EGU and IAG.

MS and PhD student opportunities in volcano seismo-acoustics at the University of California, Santa Barbara
From: Robin Matoza
**************************************************************************************

The Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara is accepting applications to the graduate geophysics program in the areas of volcano seismology, infrasound, and seismo-acoustics to begin Fall 2016. Research will involve the collection, analysis, and data-driven modeling of seismic and acoustic waveform datasets at multiple volcanoes. Successful applicants will be guaranteed 5 years (PhD) and 2 years (MS) of support through TA and research activities, contingent on satisfactory progress. For more information and to discuss potential projects, please contact Prof. Robin Matoza (matoza@geol.ucsb.edu). The application deadline is 3 January.http://www.geol.ucsb.edu/education/graduate/admissions

The Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) invites applications for both postdoctoral and graduate fellowships. Active areas of research include volcanology, mineral spectroscopy, environmental mineralogy, geochemistry, experimental petrology, mineral physics, meteorite studies, solar system formation, and planetary formation and evolution. The department also houses the National Meteorite Collection, the National Rock and Ore Collection, the National Gem and Mineral Collection, and the Global Volcanism Program. A description of facilities, staff profiles, and collections resources can be found on our website (http://mineralsciences.si.edu).

Predoctoral and postdoctoral candidates can request up to 12 or 24 months, respectively, through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program. Graduate fellowships through this program are funded for 10 weeks. Additional fellowship opportunities are available through the Peter Buck Fellowship Program at NMNH; postdoctoral fellowships are for 2 years and graduate fellowships are 1-2 years. Applications may be submitted to both competitions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Smithsonian research staff to identify potential advisors and discuss project feasibility. Additional information is available at the Office of Fellowships and Internships (http://www.si.edu/ofg/). The application deadline is December 1st, 2015. The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

I am seeking good students for NSF-funded MS work on ultrahigh-pressure eclogites from North Qaidam, western China. The research will involve zircon U-Pb geochronology + trace element analysis, P-T estimation using combined trace element (Zr-in-rutile thermometer), thermodynamic modeling, and conventional approaches, and trace element analyses of major minerals to connect P-T to age. Please encourage students with a strong interest and background in petrology and tectonics to apply to CWU (Feb. 1 application deadline); interested students should contact me for more information (mattinson@geology.cwu.edu). I will be at GSA this year and would be happy to meet with interested students.

I am currently looking for students to work with at both the MS and Ph.D levels. I have listed some potential projects below – if you are interested in any of these, or have a project in mind, please contact me: Elisabeth.Hausrath@unlv.edu, and please also see our website for information about our current projects: https://faculty.unlv.edu/hausrath/index.htm

•Field work, experiments and modeling to help interpret interactions between water, biota and minerals, with implications for astrobiology and the history of liquid water
•Analysis of data from Mars missions to interpret water-rock interactions on that planet
•Examining the behavior of nutrients in natural environments with implications for habitability
•Dissolution and precipitation rates of secondary minerals in soils, including field, laboratory, and modeling components

We are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to work with Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath at UNLV on algae-microorganism-mineral interactions. Responsibilities of the position will include:
– Sampling in remote field environments of mineral, snow, algae, and bacteria,
– Analysis of collected biological and geologic samples
– Growth experiments of snow algae and microorganisms in the presence of minerals
– Presenting work at conferences and writing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
Desired attributes include significant experience performing laboratory and field work, a strong geochemical and microbiological background, and experience with fine scale analytical techniques, with experience with synchrotron techniques a plus. The ideal candidate will also have strong critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Requirements include a PhD at the time of appointment. The successful candidate will receive mentoring in scientific skills, manuscript and proposal writing, teaching, and other career skills. Competitive salary and benefits. For information about our ongoing research programs please see our website here: http://faculty.unlv.edu/hausrath/index.htm.

To apply, please submit by December 18, 2015: a cover letter describing research experience and interests, a detailed CV listing qualifications and experience, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references who may be contacted. Materials should be addressed to Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath, postdoctoral mentor, and are to be submitted via on-line application at https://hrsearch.unlv.edu. For assistance with UNLV’s on-line applicant portal, contact UNLV Employment Services at (702) 895-3504 or applicant.inquiry@unlv.edu. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer

Clermont-Ferrand Centre for Volcano Research
Seeking a world-class post-doctoral research fellow in the field of magmatic systems

We are seeking a candidate for a post-doctoral project investigating the mechanics governing the growth, evolution and eruption of large silicic magma bodies (http://clervolc.univ-bpclermont.fr).

Volcano observatories monitor volcanoes for signals that might indicate a forthcoming eruption. However, this requires accurate knowledge of the subsurface processes causing the signals observed and recorded at the surface. Ground-surface displacement measurements are a common volcano-monitoring tool, but the links between surface displacements and eruption remain enigmatic, and the ability to distinguish signals that will precede an eruption from those which will not is lacking. Much progress has been made in the interpretation of volcanic geodetic signals over the last decade. The use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) allows for more realistic models that incorporate viscoelastic effects, which in turn strongly influence whether a magma reservoir tends towards eruption or continued magma storage, through viscous accommodation of the growing reservoir in the host-rock. To date models have relied on steady-state temperature distributions to assign the viscosity distribution within the crust a priori. In reality, the subsurface temperature distribution is a function of the crust intrusive history, hence of both time and space. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the host-rock will also be altered, and this will have important impacts on the eruption or storage potential of a magma reservoir as well as the spatial and temporal distribution of associated surface deformation. The goal of the project is a model framework that accounts for time-dependent thermal and mechanical properties resulting from repeated magmatic intrusions. This will allow for better quantification of the links between magma supply, surface displacements and eruption potential, and improved constraints on geodetic eruption precursors.

Applicants must hold a PhD degree in Volcanology or closely related fields and should have a strong background in continuum mechanics and numerical modelling applied to earth-science problems. Experience with COMSOL Multiphysics would also be appreciated.
Applicants are requested to send a CV, a letter of motivation, the names of two referees, and the pdfs of up to five publications to the ClerVolc administration manager, Socheata Sean (Socheata.SEAN@univ-bpclermont.fr). Applications will be accepted until 15 November 2015.
Applicants do not need to speak French.
Contact and further information on the project: Thierry Menand (T.Menand@opgc.univ-bpclermont.fr), Jean-Luc Froger (J.L.Froger@opgc.univ-bpclermont.fr), Valérie Cayol (V.Cayol@opgc.univ-bpclermont.fr).
In the event of additional enquiries or problems, please contact ClerVolc administration manager Socheata Sean (Socheata.Sean@univ-bpclermont.fr).

The ClerVolc (Clermont-Ferrand Centre for Volcano Research) consortium involves six laboratories of Blaise Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand, France (Collaboratrices of Earth Science ‘Magmas et Volcans’, Particle Physics, Physical Meteorology, Social and Cognitive Psychology, Mathematics, Computer Science), the Observatoire de Physique du Globe at Clermont-Ferrand, and the French Geological Survey (BRGM). The consortium, which is led by P. Schiano director, T. Druitt scientific coordinator, has received funding for a collaborative research programme from the French government ‘Laboratories of Excellence’ initiative. The programme addresses fundamental questions in the field of magma generation, volcano dynamics, volcanic hazards and volcanic risk.

group at IRAP (Toulouse, France) is looking for a postdoctoral
research associate in planetary plasma physics focusing either on
intrinsic magnetospheres or induced magnetospheres with the
analysis of data from the MESSENGER, Cassini, MAVEN or the
upcoming Juno missions. The successful candidate will work in close
relation with the CDPP (french space Plasma Physics Data Center,http://cdpp.eu) Team who is developping the AMDA tool (Automated
Multi-Dataset Analysis:

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the
University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado is seeking a minimum
one-year Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of planetary
science. A strong candidate will have experience with several of the
following areas: planetary (Mars/Mercury/Moon) data processing and
analysis, geologic mapping, research on fluvial/lacustrine processes on
Mars, planetary volcanism, martian geochemistry/mineralogy/spectroscopy,
field-based planetary analog studies, and/or hydrothermal systems.

Requirements:

– PhD related to planetary science with detailed knowledge of one or
more of the following disciplines: planetary geology, interpretation
of spacecraft data, and Mars science.
– Experience analyzing and processing spacecraft data.
– Experience with Geographic Information Systems.
– Ability to conduct original research, publish in peer-reviewed
journals, and give presentations of research at science conferences.
– Preference for knowledge of and experience with: USGS ISIS software,
ArcGIS, IDL/ENVI.

Please submit your resume/vitae, list of three references, and a cover
letter describing your research background and interest in this
position to:

We are seeking a post-doctoral scientist to participate in research on kinetic processes (diffusion, dissolution / precipitation), phase equilibria and element partitioning at high pressures and temperatures. The candidate will work in a research group in Bochum with strength and interest in the areas of kinetics (determination of diffusion coefficients and mechanisms of diffusion, determination of rates of reactions controlled by diffusion and solution – precipitation, as well as development of theoretical models and field applications to metamorphic rocks, igneous rocks and meteorites) calibration of phase equilibria, geothermobarometers, and determination of thermodynamic parameters connection between rheology, point defects and diffusion continental collision, volcanic plumbing systems evolution of the oceanic crust ultra high pressure metamorphism thermal evolution in the solar nebula and meteorite parent bodies and fluid-rock interaction.

Experimental facilities at the high pressure-temperature laboratory include several piston-cylinder apparatus, one walker type multi-anvil apparatus, externally heated hydrothermal pressure vessels and high temperature furnaces with and without controlled atmosphere. Associated sample preparation facilities are available. Laboratories for the production of nanoscale thin films of oxides and silicates by pulsed laser ablation (PLD) and analytical facilities such as the electron microprobe, scanning electron microprobe with EBSD attachment, Xray fluorescence and diffraction and wet chemical analysis are routinely used by the group. Chemical analysis on the nanoscale using RBS and NRA in the adjacent particle accelerator facility of RUBION are also very commonly used; a variety of other experimental and analytical possibilities exist on campus.

Tasks: The candidate will be responsible for

carrying out independent research projects related to one or more of the above areas and interacting actively with existing research groups.
the maintenance and supervision of the high pressure-temperature laboratories. Additional technical support from mechanical and sample preparation workshops are available in-house.
training and helping students, guests and other researchers in the labs, some of which could be counted toward the teaching responsibilities outlined below
teaching (4 hours a week / semester) within the B.Sc / M.Sc curriculum of the Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics, with a focus in the area of petrology.
writing research proposals to secure external funding for the group and publishing actively in international peer-reviewed journals.

If desired, the candidate can work toward a German Habilitation degree in this position.

Requirements:

We are seeking a bright and enthusiastic candidate who is highly motivated and able to work on independent projects as well as in a team. Candidates should have a doctoral degree in Earth Sciences or a related field (e.g. Materials Science), ideally with a focus in petrology / geochemistry. Good interpersonal skills, ability to work in international collaborations, a good command of English, and ability to write scientific papers are essential. Experience with methods of experimental petrology and numerical skills are desirable.

We offer the position for three years and at a pay-scale of E-13 of the Collective Agreement for the German Civil Service (TVL E13).

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum aims to increase the number of women in this area and therefore particularly welcomes applications from women. We also welcome applications from disabled persons.

Interested candidates should send their application in a single Pdf file, preferably via e-mail, to Prof. Sumit Chakraborty (Sumit.Chakraborty at rub.de) including an academic CV official academic transcripts of marks, and certificates contact details for two suitable references. a statement of research interests and motivation for applying to this research group.

Closing date for applications is September 15th, 2015 or until the position is filled.

High resolution determination of thermal and tectonic history of an Archean craton: case studies from the Dharwar Craton and Coorg Blocks in South India using methods of diffusion chronometry (geospeedometry) and thermal modelling

We are seeking a Ph.D student to work on the project within the scope of the Schwerpunktprogram (Priority Program) “Building a Habitable Earth” funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG).

Within the larger scope of the priority program, the candidate will be interacting with scientists who will use a variety of tools (novel isotopes, trace elements, modelling, experiments) to study different aspects of the Early Earth and its evolution. The three key topics central to the Priority Programme are:

the compositions and sources of Earth’s building materials and the growth of the Earth,
the Earth’s early internal processing into crust, mantle, and core, and the early evolution of these reservoirs,
the early evolution of Earth’s ocean – atmosphere – biosphere system from the first atmosphere until the great oxidation event.
More details may be found at:

The candidate will work in a research group in Bochum with strength and interest in the areas of diffusion kinetics (field applications in metamorphic rocks, igneous rocks and meteorites, as well as development of models, theoretical studies of diffusion and experimental determination of diffusion parameters), continental collision, ultra high pressure metamorphism and fluid-rock interaction. General information on the research group may be found at:

The project will be carried out in close collaboration with scientists in India (Prof. S. Dasgupta, Prof. S. Bhowmik, and Dr. R. Kumar), and will therefore have a strong component of international exchange and interaction.

Tasks: The project will involve field work and sample collection in South India, petrographic study and textural interpretation, chemical analytical work (electron microprobe, scanning electron microscope, electron backscattered diffraction, X-ray fluorescence as well as limited trace element analysis using LA-ICP-MS), thermodynamic analysis of phase relations including thermobarometric computations, and numerical modelling (diffusion kinetics as well as thermal modelling).

Requirements:
We are seeking a bright and enthusiastic candidate who is highly motivated and able to work independently and in a very international setting. Candidates should have a M.S (or equivalent degree) in Earth Sciences, ideally with a focus in petrology / geochemistry. Good communication skills and good command of English, and ability to write scientific papers, are essential (Experience with analytical and quantitative methods of petrology and numerical skills are desirable.

Supervisor: Prof. Sumit Chakraborty (Sumit.Chakraborty at rub.de).

We offer a three year doctorate programme including salary and social benefits conforming to the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the German Civil Service (TVöD) at the level of E-13 (75%).

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum aims to increase the number of women in this area and therefore particularly welcomes applications from women. We also welcome applications from disabled persons.

Interested candidates should send their application in a single Pdf file, preferably via e-mail, to:

Your application, to be sent to Prof. Sumit Chakraborty (Sumit.Chakraborty at rub.de), should include

· an academic CV

· official academic transcripts of marks, and certificates

· contact details for two suitable references.

· a statement on why your background is suitable for the project and your motivation for applying in this research area.

Closing date for applications is September 15th, 2015 or until the position is filled.

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the final 2015 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Fall 2015 Travel Grant application deadline is October 1, 2015. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

The Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award is for undergraduate or graduate students, of any nationality, working in any country, in the disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, or biology. The award, which will include $2500, is to be applied for the study of impact craters, either on Earth or on the other solid bodies in the solar system. Areas of study may include but shall not necessarily be limited to impact cratering processes; the bodies (asteroidal or cometary) that make the impacts; or the geological, chemical, or biological results of impact cratering. Details about the award as well as an application form for interested students can be found at

A 4-year PhD position in impact modeling is open at the Department of
Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland as a part of the Academy of
Finland funded project entitled: “Composition of dark asteroids – are
asteroid collisions responsible for observed compositional mismatch in
main asteroid belt?”¨

Requirements:

– MSc or equivalent in geology, (geo)physics, or planetary science no
later than September 1, 2015.
– Fluent English.
– Previous numerical modeling experience.
– Experience with impact modeling and knowledge of iSALE code is an
advantage.

Benefits:

– Work in a young enthusiastic team at one of the leading Nordic
universities.
– Opportunity to conduct state-of-art research in planetary science.
– Full social benefits according to the Finnish social care system.
– Salary in the range of EUR 2500-2900.

How to apply:

Send the following items to PI Tomas Kohout (tomas.kohout at helsinki.fi)
no later than August 2, 2015:
– Motivation letter describing your research interests and previous
study/research history.
– CV and publication list.
– Copy of MSc thesis and MSc diploma.

Successful candidate will be informed latest August 6. The appointment
will start on September 1, 2015.

A postdoctoral fellow position is available within the Hopkins Extreme
Materials Institute at Johns Hopkins University, in the area of
experiments and modeling of dynamic failure of geological materials
under impact loading conditions. The postdoc will:

(a) assist in the development of theoretical and computational models
for dynamic failure of geological materials,
(b) closely interact with experts in x-ray phase contrast imaging to
characterize dynamic damage using synchrotron sources, and
(c) help design experimental techniques.

The selected candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. K.T.
Ramesh and Prof. Nitin Daphalapurkar.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. in planetary science, engineering or
physical sciences disciplines, and background in mechanics and
numerical methods. The University is committed to building a diverse
environment; women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidates should send an email to bess@jhu.edu with a single PDF
file containing curriculum vitae, names of at least two references,
and a brief description of your experience and background. Review of
applications will begin August 15. The Johns Hopkins University is
an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

Postdoctoral research position: Full-waveform inversion for ultrasound breast cancer detection
The Computational Seismology Group at ETH Zurich is searching for a postdoctoral researcher to work on the development of ultrasound full-waveform inversion (FWI) methods for the detection of breast cancer. The main objective of this project is to transport FWI optimisation strategies from seismic imaging to medical imaging, and to conduct research needed for their adaptation to medical applications.
The position is full-time (100 %) for a duration of 24 months, with possibility for extension. The earliest starting date is August 1st, 2015.

Background:
Funded by the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI, http://www.kti.admin.ch), this research will be in close collaboration with the start-up company SonoView Acoustic Sensing Technologies (www.sono-view.com). It is part of a larger project aiming at the development of a novel imaging technology for the safe and reliable detection of breast cancer. They key innovation lies in coupling new ultrasound sensors with sophisticated computing algorithms that process the captured signals into new diagnostic images. As a result, the technology is intended to provide radiologists with enhanced imaging that combines reflection, sound speed and sound attenuation parameters of the tissue. This enhanced rendering will enable a more accurate breast cancer diagnosis through both qualitative and quantitative assessments.
The technology is originally developed by SonoView Acoustic Sensing Technologies in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering. Current developments will serve as a starting point for this project to further develop, improve and validate this technology.
Primary responsibilities:
· Develop and improve algorithms for ultrasound imaging based on FWI without low frequency signals in the source.
· Develop accurate and efficient 3D image reconstruction algorithms.
· Monitor project progress and provide regular status reports to CTI.
· Work in a highly collaborative environment, with close links to hardware development.

The University of Hawai’i at Hilo Physics and Astronomy Department
offers a two week course, July 20-31. The course covers software
design and implementation of telescope and instrument control systems,
observation planning tools, and software for analyzing and archiving
astronomical data. A full course description and instructions for
enrollment are given at:

1) A one-page description of how your participation in this meeting
will benefit you professionally and contribute to NASA’s
explorations of Venus.
2) A short abstract for a 5-10 minute talk;
3) Your resume;
4) An endorsement from a faculty member.

POST-DOC ON MODELLING AND OBSERVATIONS OF CO2 ICE CLOUDS ON MARS AT
LATMOS (GUYANCOURT, FRANCE)

We are currently accepting applications for a fixed-term post-doc
position on studying CO2 ice clouds on Mars. The contract is for 1 year
+ one additional year based on performance + a possible extension for
a third year depending on funding sources. The gross salary is minimum
2500 EUR/month and depends on experience.

We welcome applications from scientists with a PhD (or PhD by the
time of the post-doc) in planetology, astronomy, meteorology,
atmospheric sciences, or related fields. Experience in atmospheric
(in particular global climate) modelling, limb observation analysis,
and/or radiative transfer modelling are recommended. Fluency in
using unix/linux environments and Fortran programming will be
appreciated.

Applications (English or French) consisting of a CV, publication list,
at least one recommendation letter, and a motivation letter should be
sent to Dr. Anni Määttänen (at anni.maattanen at latmos.ipsl.fr) by August
15, 2015. The contract can start on November 1, 2015, but a later date
is negotiable.

2016 Vatican Observatory Summer School in Castel Gandolfo is focused on Water in the Solar System and Beyond, and is aimed at upper-level undergraduates and “early” graduate students. Applications due late October.

We are asking your assistance in forwarding this message to inform students and faculty in your department of these outstanding fellowship opportunities. More detailed information and an online application can be found at http://www.nationalacademies.org/rap.

The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers at participating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These awards include generous stipends ranging from $42,000 – $80,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients, and higher for additional experience. Graduate entry level stipends begin at $30,000. These awards provide the opportunity for recipients to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

The SETI Institute, with support of the NASA Astrobiology Institute,
offers travel grants for undergraduate and graduate students to attend
the IAU 2015 meeting in Honolulu, HI. Awards limited to students
making oral or poster presentations on themes related to the search
for life in the universe: astrobiology, exoplanets, planetary systems,
and bioastronomy. To apply, go to:

Applicants are invited to apply for a postdoctoral position associated with MRO’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), located at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. The research emphasis will be on surface and atmospheric photometric normalization and color analysis, leading to new standard and special data products, and related research. This work is also needed in preparation for the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.

Experience in remote sensing and image processing is required. Independent research is also encouraged in other areas related to planetary geology and surface processes. Work on terrestrial or other planetary analogs and quantitative studies using digital topography, spectral imaging, and other data are encouraged. Experience in analysis of Mars remote-sensing datasets is desirable. Researchers with primary experience and training in terrestrial remote sensing are welcome.

We are seeking talented young individuals for positions of postdoctoral
associates and visiting students to participate in the HITRAN group.

Postdoctoral associates will be involved in the preparation of the HITRAN
compilation. The responsibilities will include construction of the spectral
line lists for the molecular species relevant to the modelling of planetary
atmospheres. This will include, but is not limited to, collecting available
experimental and theoretical data, assessing their quality and creating
semi-empirical models for calculating parameters that are not available
in the literature. In addition to being co-authors on the widely cited
HITRAN paper, the candidates will have an opportunity to work on
first-author publications in the field of atmospheric and/or astronomical
spectroscopy.

The candidates are expected to have a working experience in the field
of molecular spectroscopy (understanding of different types of molecular
symmetries, transitions, selection rules, working with Hamiltonians, etc).
The knowledge of lineshape issues is a plus. Familiarity with the HITRAN
database is desired. Experience with Fortran and/or Python is required.
Proficiency in English language and good communication skills are required.
Candidates will have to be able to work both independently and within a team.
Applicants are expected to have completed their PhDs no earlier than
July 2011 and be able to start their duties no later than October 1, 2015.

The position is for one year and provides a stipend of $59,000 per annum
(changing to $60,000 in January 2016). Depending on the performance and
the availability of funding the position may be extended to another year.
Medical insurance can be covered.

Applications (with CVs) and independently two reference letters should
be sent to Iouli Gordon (igordon at cfa.harvard.edu) and Laurence Rothman
(lrothman at cfa.harvard.edu).

The Reaction Dynamics Group, The Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, invites applications for two postdoctoral positions in the field of experimental physical chemistry (reaction dynamics) probing the interaction of vacuum ultraviolet light with small (organic) molecules in cryogenic matrices (position 1) and the synthesis of organosilicon molecules in circumstellar envelopes exploiting the crossed molecular beams approach (position 2).

The appointment period is initially for one year, but can be renewed based on availability of funds and satisfactory progress (first author peer reviewed publications). The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Successful applicants should have a strong background in one or more of the following: experimental reaction dynamics, molecular beams, UHV tech­nology, pulsed laser systems, VUV light generation via four wave mixing, Raman, and UVVIS spectroscopy. Advanced programming skills in labview are imperative. Please see http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/Bil301/welcome.html for a description of our research group. Solid communication skills in English (written, oral) and a documented publication record in internationally circulated, peer-reviewed journals are mandatory. Only self-motivated, team oriented, and energetic candidates are encouraged to apply. Please send a letter of interest, CV, publication list, and – upon request – three letters of recommendation, to Prof. Ralf I. Kaiser, Department of Che­mis­try, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2275, USA. Only complete, elec­tronic applications in pdf format (ralfk at hawaii.edu) will be considered. The review of applications will start June 1, 2015, and continues until the positions are filled.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to help develop our LIBS-MS geochronology instrument. Examples of projects that may be pursued include understanding how LIBS and mass spectrometry techniques can be used to understand planetary lithologies, comparing K-Ar and Ar-Ar ages of planetary samples with complex thermal histories, and/or investigating experimental conditions (pressure, temperature, viewing angle, measurement techniques, etc.) to optimize flight instrument workflow and hardware. Candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Barbara Cohen (barbara.a.cohen@nasa.gov) directly to develop a research proposal. Applications are due July 1 and must be submitted through the NASA Postdoctoral Program web site, http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/.

Hello everyone,
I have never posted here before so I would like to introduce myself. My name is Melinda Rucks, I am a second year grad student at Stony Brook University studying planetary geology. Below is an advert for the Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference. If you are involved in lunar and/or small bodies research, I encourage you to submit an abstract to this conference. This is a conference for graduate students and post docs, and is a great opportunity to present your work to your peers and networking as well. Last year was a great success, and we would like this year to be the same!
I hope to see you there.

LUNAR AND SMALL BODIES GRADUATE CONFERENCE 2015

– ANNOUNCEMENT AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Registration is now open for the 6th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2015) to be held on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF).
With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of this year’s LunGradCon is expanded to include both lunar and small bodies science.
LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI.
A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for registration and abstract submission is June 5th 2015, 11:59 PM PDT.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) International Top Young Fellowship (ITYF)

Application Deadline: June 19, 2015

The goal of Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS, JAXA) is to advance space science in Japan. The JAXA International Top Young Fellowship (ITYF) was established as a prestigious fellowship program designed to attract outstanding, highly motivated, early-career researchers in any of the space science fields covered by ISAS to work in Japan for 3 (extendable to 5) years.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or Doctoral degree in natural sciences or engineering (by the end of May 2015), or equivalent or higher qualifications, with less than 8 years of postdoctoral experience.

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Research Council’s Space Science Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board. The autumn program is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Candidate(s) selected for the summer and autumn programs will be contacted no later than 3 July, respectively. Additional information about the program, including application procedure, can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_052239.

Ph.D. Researcher Opportunity in Planet Formation at University of Chicago

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Researcher to work on the chemical evolution of protoplanetary disks and primitive materials at the University of Chicago. The successful applicant will work directly with Professor Fred Ciesla and in collaboration with Professor Ted Bergin of the University of Michigan. The primary research tasks will focus on coupling the dynamical evolution of solids in protoplanetary disks with chemical evolution models to evaluate the histories of volatiles and organics during the early stages of planet formation.

The position is supported through the “Earths in Other Solar Systems” program, a multi-institutional astrobiology research consortium, funded through NASA’s Nexus for Exoplanet System Studies research initiative. The successful applicant will be a full member of the NExSS/EOS team and will participate in team meetings and collaborations. Details on the EOS project can be found at the team’s website: http://eos-nexus.org. Additional resources will be made available through the NSF INSPIRE program.

The work will be largely computational, requiring proficiency in numerical modeling. A Ph.D. in astronomy, astrophysics, or planetary sciences is required by the date of employment. The term of employment is initially for one year, but is renewable annually. The position will be based at the University of Chicago with Fred Ciesla, but will involve regular travel to the University of Michigan for collaborations and training with Ted Bergin and his group.

To apply, please send a cover letter, a CV, a brief statement of research interests, and the contact information for 3 people who are willing to provide recommendations in support of the application. Materials should be sent by email to fciesla at uchicago.edu. Informal inquiries are welcomed.

3 Postdoctoral Opportunities Coming Soon at the Lulea Technical University in Kiruna, Sweden

Date: 4 May – 30 July,2015
Location: Sweden
The Lulea Technical University in Kiruna, Sweden will soon have 2 openings for Ph.D. researchers to carry out cutting-edge Mars Research using Curiosity data and will participate in next Mars missions activities where the Atmospheric Science Group of the Luleå Technical University is involved.

There will also be an opening for a Ph.D. researcher to carry out cutting-edge Exoplanet Research within the radiative transfer and retrieval modelling efforts at the Atmospheric Science Group in the Luleå Technical University.

We would like to invite interested researchers and students to apply for the Summer school “Formation and evolution of planetary systems and habitable planets”, which will take place in Moletai, Lithuania (Close to Vilnius) from 21 to 30 August 2015.

The summer school will present an overview of the pathways formation of habitable planets both in our and extrasolar planets. It is co-organised by the Nordic Network of Astrobiology, the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership “European Astrobiology Campus” and the EU COST Action “Origins and Evolution of Life on Earth and in the Universe”. Its programme includes:

Lectures by internationally leading scientists covering a broad range of astrobiology
observations of star transits as well as other interesting astronomical objects like Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet with the 1.65 m and broad field 51 cm telescope at the Moletai Observatory
Remote observations using other telescopes in Europe
2 Poster sessions for students and early career scientists
Participant-led discussions about forefront-topics

Bursaries are available for around 32 Ph. D. students and early career scientists (up to 8 years after their first Ph. D.) based in many European countries. This covers meals and acommodation and includes a travel allowance.

The Space Exploration Sector at the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied
Physics Laboratory in Maryland is a world-class center of planetary and
space research and robotic space exploration. We are seeking a student
intern to help with a Mercury global mapping project this summer, using
MESSENGER data. The successful candidate must be a self-starter with
excellent ArcGIS mapping skills.

Program details:
– 10 week summer program (June 1 – August 8, 2015)
– Candidate requirements:
* GPA of 3.0 or above
* US Citizenship
* Must be a sophomore, junior, senior, or first or second year
graduate student as of Fall 2015
– Students will receive a stipend and will be provided with housing and
meals for the duration of the program.

This is a short-notice opportunity – if interested, please send the
following NO LATER THAN 12 noon EST, Wednesday, April 29, 2015 to
Dr. Louise Prockter at Louise.Prockter at jhuapl.edu:

(1) a resume
(2) a one-paragraph summary describing your qualifications and why you
would like the position
(3) a contact phone number

Applications are now being accepted for a Postdoctoral Research position, funded through the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST). The selected candidate would work in the Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the area of geomagnetism, with emphasis on one of the following sub-areas: (1) numerical modeling of electric currents and the associated magnetic fields generated by oceanic flow processes, and the integration of these elements into the global geomagnetic field modeling; (2) determination of core flow utilizing surface geomagnetic observations and geomagnetic data assimilation. The appointee will be expected to work closely with the Core and Crustal Magnetics group at NASA/GSFC, but is also strongly encouraged to carry out independent research. The position is for 1 year, and extension to the second year is available pending future funding and mutual agreement.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree (or expect to have the degree by the start of the appointment) in a related field of physics, geophysics, dynamical oceanography/meteorology, and/or applied mathematics. Applicants are expected to have strong quantitative analysis and modeling skills – in addition to knowledge of geomagnetic fields, satellite or ground observatory data, geomagnetic field models and core dynamics. Familiarity with UNIX OS, FORTRAN and parallel computing is a strong plus.

Each applicant should send a Curriculum Vita, list of publications, statement of research interests, and contact information for three references to:

Salary and benefits are highly competitive, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Information regarding the Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory can be found at the link below. For information on CRESST and the University of Maryland’s Department of Astronomy, please contact Tracy Huard (thuard at astro.umd.edu). The position is available beginning June 2015.

PhD fellowship available in the field of the origin of planetary systems: “Investigating the formation conditions of Jupiter’s satellites in the context of the ESA L-class mission JUICE”

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Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD fellowship based jointly at the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (Aix-Marseille University, France), the Physikalisches Institute (Universität Bern, Switzerland) and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (University of Paris 7, France). The position comes with a full salary and social security benefits for the duration of the fellowship, funded by Aix-Marseille University. There will also be funds available for travel and computing.

The position is available immediately, but the start date can be extended to 15 October 2015 at the latest. Interested candidates are invited to apply by sending i) a one-page statement on their scientific interests and research experience, ii) a curriculum vitae and iii) a copy of academic transcripts to the email address olivier.mousis at lam.fr. Letters of recommendations are also welcome.

The review of applications will begin on 1 April 2015, but late applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

General Scientific Background: the JUICE mission has been selected in late 2013 by the European Space Agency as the next major exploration mission of the outer solar system. Because the launch of the JUICE mission is planned in 2022, the ESA member states, whose experiences have been selected as part of the payload, now initiate important collaborations to carry out their instrument developments. JUICE will aim to explore the system of Jupiter and its satellites to provide constraints on its formation conditions. In this context, we have established a collaboration centered around the instrument PEP (Particle Environment Package, Co-P.I. Peter Wurz) with the objective to determine i) the chemical composition of the volatile species and their abundances in the exospheres of satellites and ii) the isotopes of the main molecules. These data allow to infer the conditions of formation of these objects.

Objectives of the thesis: We propose a thesis based on numerical modeling and whose aim is to compel the formation conditions of Jupiter’s moons via the supply of observational tests that will be measurable via mass spectrometry aboard JUICE. The origin of Jupiter’s moons, discovered by Galileo in 1610, still remains unknown. For example, we still don’t know if these satellites accreted from planetesimals condensed in the accretion disk (subnebula) formed around Jupiter during the last phase of its growth, or if they simply originate from the primitive nebula. The work will then consist in using existing numerical codes to mimic the thermodynamic conditions that would have happened in a subnebula from which the satellites of Jupiter have potentially formed. Once the subnebula model will be constructed, the equilibrium and non-equilibrium gas phase chemistries will be investigated in this environment to obtain constraints on the composition of planetesimals from which the satellites of Jupiter may have agglomerated. This work will be then used to calibrate the specifications of the mass spectrometer in the construction phase for JUICE to perform the critical measurements that will allow disentangling between the different scenarios. The PhD student will benefit from the expertise of Prof. Olivier Mousis and Prof. Sébastien Charnoz for modeling the appropriated thermodynamic, chemical and dynamical conditions in the Jovian subnebula and of Dr. Pierre Vernazza for the study of the origin of refractory materials in satellites. The PhD student will also interact closely with Prof. Peter Wurz to participate in the development of the specifications of the mass spectrometer of Bern and to devise the measurement objectives.

Skills: The proposed topic includes an important modeling component. Good computer skills (FORTRAN programming, using UNIX shells, IDL for data processing, etc) are necessary. Candidate must have strong knowledge in thermodynamics, physics and numerical modeling. The work will be placed among collaborations in an international environment, so a good knowledge of English is required.

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first 2015 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Spring 2015 Travel Grant application deadline is April 1, 2015. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

Program: The Data Incubator is an intensive 7 week fellowship that prepares masters, PhDs, and postdocs in STEM + social science fields seeking industry careers as data scientists. The program is free for fellows and supported by sponsorships from dozens of employers across multiple industries. In response to the overwhelming interest in our earlier sessions, we will be holding another fellowship.

Locations: There will be both an in-person (in NYC, DC, SF) and online section of the fellowship. There is a common application for both the online and in-person sections.

Who should apply: Anyone within one year of graduating from a masters or PhD program or who has already obtained a masters or PhD is welcome to apply. Applications from international students are welcome. Everyone else is encouraged to sign-up for a future session.

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 27th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will be held in one single session in summer 2015 (August 10-14 only) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. .

Applications are due April 10, 2015. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville invites applications for a
Post-doctoral Teaching Associate position in Mineralogy starting
August 1, 2015, pending approval of funding. The position is a 9-month
appointment and includes benefits. Successful candidates will be
expected to teach mineralogy for undergraduate geology majors, physical
geology at the entry level, and possibly a specialized mineralogy or
petrology course at the upper division undergraduate or graduate level.
Candidates will also be encouraged to participate in departmental
research projects and/or work on their own research.

The NASA Office of Education Minority University Research and
Education Project (MUREP) solicits proposals from students pursuing
graduate degrees in NASA relevant STEM disciplines. NASA OE MUREP
ASTAR Fellowship seeks independently conceived fellowship proposals
from student applicants, specifically in areas of projected
deficiencies in the NASA future STEM workforce. Selected students
will perform graduate student research at their respective campuses
during the academic year as well as conduct research at a designated
NASA field Center during an annual 10 – 15 week Center based
research Experience (CBRE).

Funding is provided for a maximum of three years.

Phase I Applications are requested by May 5, 2015.
Phase II Submissions are due July 25, 2015.

Applications are now being accepted for a Postdoctoral Research
Associate, funded through the University of Maryland College Park
and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and
Technology (CRESST), to work in the Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory
of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the area of geomagnetism.
Additional details are available at:

Graduate students and postdocs,
This year’s application deadline for grants from the Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research is April 3, 2015. This program provides 3 to 5 competitive grants each year in the range of $2,500 to $5,000 USD for support of field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Grant funds may be used to assist with travel and subsistence costs, as well as laboratory and computer analysis of research samples and findings. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students enrolled in formal university programs are eligible. Over the past 13 years, 45 research projects have been supported. For additional details and an application, please go to http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Barringer_Fund/

Lunar and Asteroid Volcanic Studies Based on Terrestrial Fieldwork, Laboratory Analysis, and Numerical Modeling
This NPP (NASA Postdoctoral Program) position provides an opportunity to work with the FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) team based at NASA Ames Research Center as a part of NASA’s SSERVI (Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute). The FINESSE team focuses on a science and exploration field-based research program aimed at generating strategic knowledge in preparation for the human and robotic exploration of the Moon, near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and Phobos & Deimos. We infuse our science program with leading edge exploration concepts since “science enables exploration and exploration enables science.”

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is
offering summer projects for students interested in working on NASA
missions or space-related research opportunities at APL. Details are
available at:

The Mineralogical Society of America announces the 2016 Grants for Student
Research in Mineralogy and Petrology.

The Grants for Student Research in Mineralogy and Petrology are funded by
an endowment created by contributions from the MSA membership. The grant
comprises two awards of up to $5,000 each for research in mineralogy and
petrology. Students, including graduate and undergraduate students, are
encouraged to apply. However, all proposals are considered together. The
award selection will be based on the qualifications of the applicant, the
quality, innovativeness, and scientific significance of the research, and
the likelihood of success of the project. Applicants may not apply for both
this and the MSA Grant for Research in Crystallography in the same year.
The grant is for research-related expenses only.

Proposal submissions for the grant are to be made online. Further
information and application form are available at

Nordic-Hawai’i Summer School “Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe”, Iceland, 1-13 July 2015

The summer school “Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe”, which will be held in Iceland from 1 to 13 July 2015, aims to give participants a thorough high-level introduction into the role of water in the evolution of life in the cosmos, starting from formation of water molecules in space and ending with evolution of the first organisms. It will bring together students and researchers from a multitude of different science branches, making it a truly multidisciplinary event. Field studies on the colonisation of lava fields and glaciers will complement the lectures.http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Iceland2015

The Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the mineralogy and petrology of planetary materials.

The successful candidate will work with Dr. Allan Treiman in NASA-funded efforts, emphasizing planetary crusts and magmas, and their volatile constituents and will join Dr. Treiman on the CheMin science team of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. The candidate will participate in analysis and interpretation of CheMin X-ray diffraction data of Mars surface materials; and may also participate in operations planning for the CheMin instrument. Additionally, the candidate will design and conduct her/his own research in petrology and mineralogy of planetary materials, starting with optical microscopy and electron microprobe; other instruments may be available at the nearby Johnson Space Center (experimental petrology laboratories, electron microscopes, X-ray diffraction, LA-ICPMS), or can be arranged with external collaborators (e.g., SIMS). The candidate will be encouraged to propose for external funding, participate in grant review panels and analysis groups, and become further involved with spacecraft missions.

At the LPI, the successful candidate will interact with scientists of many specialties, and with those of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) group at Johnson Space Center. The LPI leads a team in the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), allowing the candidate access to this community of lunar & asteroid explorers. LPI scientists maintain active collaborations with faculty in the geosciences departments of Rice University and the University of Houston, which are nearby.

Applicants should have a recent Ph.D. in petrology or geochemistry; experience with planetary materials is helpful, but not required. The position would be for two years, with possible extension to a third year. The candidate must be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident, and be able to pass a detailed government background investigation. Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with a list of publications, a brief (maximum three pages) statement of research interests, and a list of three references to the posting at https://usracareers.silkroad.com/. Review of candidates will begin on March 30, 2015, with a hiring decision as soon as possible thereafter. Further information on current research and facilities at the LPI and at JSC can be found through our website http://www.lpi.usra.edu.

USRA is an independent, nonprofit research corporation where the combined efforts of in-house talent and university-based expertise merge to advance space science and technology. USRA works across disciplines including biomedicine, planetary science, astrophysics, and engineering and integrates those competencies into applications ranging from fundamental research to facility management and operations. USRA engages the creativity and authoritative expertise of the research community to develop and deliver sophisticated, forward-looking solutions to Federal agencies and other customers – on schedule and within budget.

Offered through the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX), the Department of Earth Sciences, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario & NSERC CREATE Technologies and Techniques in Earth and Space Exploration, the principal objective of this course is to provide participants with an interdisciplinary field studies experience with an emphasis on planetary surface processes. Emphasis will be placed on volcanism, impact cratering, tectonics and fluvial and Aeolian erosion. More details available at:

Two postdoctoral positions at Stony Brook:
– one in Chemistry/Geochemistry/Mineralogy, with an emphasis on understanding the formation and properties of amorphous materials
– one in research in mineral spectroscopy under the supervision of Professor Timothy Glotch.http://www.stonybrook.edu/jobs/

We are pleased to announce the opening of the application period for the Blue Waters Graduate Fellowship. The fellowship is designed to support PhD students who are engaged in a program of study and research that is directly relevant to the use of the Blue Waters supercomputer. Fellowship recipients will receive a stipend of $38,000 for the year-long fellowship and up to a $12,000 tuition allowance.

Fellowship applicants should be in the second or third year of their PhD program and engaged in research that can take advantage of the Blue Waters supercomputer. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or landed immigrants. The application deadline is February 4, 2015.

Science and engineering graduate fellowships from the Department of Defense (NDSEG)
– applications now open, due Dec. 15th
– open to all sorts of engineering degrees and also geosciences, oceanography, physics, biosciences etc.

Applications are now being accepted for a Postdoctoral Research
Associate, funded through the University of Maryland College Park
(UMCP) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science
and Technology (CRESST), to work in the Planetary Magnetospheres
Laboratory of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the area
of Jupiter’s magnetic field and magnetosphere, using data from the
Juno (New Frontier) mission. Additional details are available at:

Required Qualifications: PhD, or the equivalent degree from a foreign
university, in Geosciences, Chemistry, Geochemistry, Materials Science
or a related field. Successfully defended dissertation prior to the
start date. Course work or research experience in Chemistry,
Geochemistry, Mineralogy, or Materials Science.

This award is established by the Planetary Science Institute in memory
of Senior Scientist Betty Pierazzo to support and encourage graduate
students to build international collaborations and relationships in
planetary science. Two awards will be made each year, contingent upon
there being meritorious applications. One will be awarded to a graduate
student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution within the U.S.
This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting
(conferences and workshops) outside of the U.S. The second award will
be to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution
outside of the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science
related meeting within the U.S. These include general meetings that
have planetary-focused sessions such as the AGU, GSA, EGU and IAG.

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral position in experimental and observational cosmology and astrophysics. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on several research projects involving molecular line spectroscopy and will be involved in various aspects of the experiment including designing and building the instrument, assembly and integration, commissioning, and data analysis. These include working with Argus, a 16-pixel 75-116 GHz spectrometer array that will be deployed at the 100m Green Bank Telescope in late 2014, and the development of novel instruments to trace structure formation by mapping molecular line emission during the epochs of galaxy assembly and re-ionization. Argus is expected to map regions of star formation in our own and neighboring galaxies and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with data from the instrument. Applicants should have, or be close to completing, a PhD in astronomy, physics or a relevant field of electrical engineering, and a strong research background with demonstrated capabilities in experimental techniques and/or instrument development in any field of astronomy. Prior experience with MMIC amplifiers, RF design, and vacuum and cryogenic techniques is useful but not required.

The position carries a competitive salary and benefits and is initially for two years with a possibility of extension. Some relocation costs will be provided. The start date is negotiable and could be as soon as early 2015, but a later start date, commensurate with the completion of PhD requirements, is perfectly acceptable.

Applications can be submitted by email to Professor Sarah Church (schurch at stanford.edu) or by regular mail at the address given. Include a statement of past and present research interests, and the names of three referees who can be contacted for more information. Informal inquiries to Professor Church are also encouraged. Consideration of applications will begin December 20th but the position will remain open until filled and so late applications are perfectly fine.

Stanford University is committed to equal opportunity through affirmative action in employment and we are especially eager to identify minority persons and women with appropriate qualifications.

Summer course “Life on Earth and Beyond – The History and Philosophy of the Origin of Life”
Island of Ven, Sweden, 4 – 6 May 2015

The aim of the course is to give participants a thorough overview of the historical, philosophical and ethical questions arising in this field. It is co-organised by the Nordic Network of Astrobiology and the EU COST Action “Origins and Evolution of Life on Earth and in the Universe”. The course is open for students and scientists in humanities, natural, social and political sciences. It will, amongst others deal with the following themes:
Definition of life in a historical and philosophical context
Biochemical evolution
The tree of biological evolution
Search for life outside Earth
Philosophical, ethical and political questions arising with the quest for life on other celestial bodies

A multitude of highly merited researchers have agreed to teach at the course: (see the course website for details). The deadline for application is 15 January 2015 23:59:00 UTC .

Bursaries for students and early career scientists (up to 8 years after their Ph. D.) from most European countries (see homepage for details) are available.

The Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary
Institute (LPI), invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in
lunar and asteroid exploration science for a full-time exempt position
in the Houston, Texas area. The successful candidate will join
Dr. David A. Kring and over two dozen other scientists in the Center
for Lunar Science and Exploration, which is one of nine national
centers of excellence supported by NASA’s Solar System Exploration
Research Virtual Institute. The main goals of the Center’s activities
are to address NASA’s highest lunar and asteroid exploration science
objectives, including activities in preparation of robotic and crewed
landings.

Applications from those with recent Ph.D.s in the fields of petrology
and geochemistry are encouraged to apply. Previous experience with
lunar samples, chondritic meteorites, and/or impact lithologies will be
advantageous, but is not required.

Research position in Paleogenomics, Phylogenetics, Microbial Evolution and Astrobiology

The Fournier Lab within the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at MIT is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Postdoctoral Associate for a 1-year appointment with possible extension, to begin during the 2014-2015 academic year. Ongoing research areas include microbial phylogenetics and phylometabolomics, development of molecular clock models and time calibration of microbial evolution across planetary timescales, horizontal gene transfer, ancestral sequence reconstruction, genomic paleontology, and co-evolution of microbial ecology and planetary processes.

Requirements: PhD with a strong background in bioinformatics, phylogenetics, statistics, and computer programming.

Qualified applicants are encourged to apply by email to Professor Greg Fournier, g4nier at mit.edu

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2015-2016 academic year. This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 2, 2015, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 16, 2015.

The NESSF call for proposals and submission instructions are located at the NESSF 15 solicitation index page at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ – click on “Solicitations” then click on “Open Solicitations” then select the “NESSF 15” announcement. Also refer to “Proposal Submission Instructions” and “Frequently Asked Questions” listed under “Other Documents” on the NESSF 15 solicitation index page.

*Postdoctoral position in lunar magnetism at the Institut de Physique du
Globe de Paris*

The Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) is inviting applications
for a postdoctoral position in the broad field of lunar magnetism. This
one-year position (renewable for a second year) aims to decipher the origin
of crustal magnetism by modeling spacecraft-derived magnetic field data.
Potential research projects include modeling the direction of crustal
magnetization, comparisons of derived crustal magnetization with measured
properties of lunar samples, and correlations between magnetic anomalies
and GRAIL gravity. As part of a larger project, the applicant will have the
opportunity to collaborate with paleomagneticists at CEREGE (Aix en
Provence) and geodynamo modelers at ISTerre (Grenoble).

To apply, please provide a CV, publication list, contact information of two
references, and a 2-page letter that motivates the applicant’s interest in
the topic and that describes prior relevant research experience. Please
respond by email to Mark Wieczorek (wieczor at ipgp.fr) before March 23, 2015.

Postdoctoral Positions in Molecular Geomicrobiology at Michigan State University

Application Deadline December 1, 2014

Postdoctoral opportunities are available in molecular geomicrobiology in the lab of Dr. Matt Schrenk at Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI, USA). Microbial communities contained within subsurface environments may be important conduits for the exchange of carbon and energy between the deep Earth and the biosphere- yet surprisingly little is known of their extent, their identities, or their activities. We invite applications for a postdoctoral research associate that will link biogeochemical approaches with studies of microbial physiology and –omics techniques. The research will specifically address microbial activities in subsurface environments influenced by hydrogen and methane and make important contributions to resolving their contributions to carbon fluxes through these ecosystems. Candidates with interests in microbial physiology or analytical biogeochemistry are particularly encouraged to apply. For more information, please see: http://www.schrenklab.com.

For consideration, please submit three items to Dr. Matt Schrenk (schrenkm at msu.edu):
(i) a cover letter describing your research goals and your specific motivation to join the laboratory, (ii) a CV, and (iii) contact information for three references, including your Ph.D. supervisor.

Deadline for applications and letters of recommendation: December 1, 2014.

The University of Toronto Centre for Planetary Sciences (CPS) is a centre for the study of all planets. The CPS expects to offer several postdoctoral fellowships of up to three years. The starting date will be September 1, 2015. Salaries and funds for travel/research expenses will be competitive. A Ph.D. in any field of earth and planetary sciences or astrophysics is required. Fellows are expected to carry out original research in observational or theoretical planetary/ exoplanet science under the general supervision of the CPS-affiliated faculty at U of T.

Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Applicants are asked to submit a curriculum vitae, statement of research interests (3 pages) and arrange for three letters of recommendation (note that two different websites are used for the application and for the submission of reference letters).

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

SAGANet.org is looking for early-career scientists (grads, postdocs, starting faculty) interested in mentoring opportunities to engage the public in the excitement of science! As a SAGANet.org mentor, you will have the opportunity to connect with teachers, K-12 students and families using virtual and social media.

Benefits of Becoming a SAGANet.org Mentor

Low time commitment: ~5-10 hours total for the fall semester.
High impact way to engage in STEM outreach from the comfort of your own desk! No commute necessary!
Expert training in science communication skills and mentoring best practices.
A peer-support group of like-minded early career scientists interested in engaging the public in the wonders of science!
Participating mentors will receive expert training in science communication and earn a certificate of recognition upon completion of their mentoring experience!

Fall 2014 Programs in Need of Mentors

Discovery Room Science @ Home!
Pair up with an elementary school student and their family to bring science into their home by working together to prepare a science project for a school fair! Program runs October 27th – December 12th, 2014, 10 Mentors Needed, total time commitment ~ 6 hours over 6 weeks.

Pittsburg Science Challenge!
Work with at-risk youth to build their confidence and presentation skills, while engaging them in the wonders of astrobiology, as you help them prepare to give a short public science presentation for their class! Program runs October 27th – December 19th, 2014, 10 Mentors Needed, total time commitment ~ 10 hours over 7 weeks.

Curious about how to improve the quality of the proposals you send to
NASA? Ever wonder what the review panel is really looking for when it
reviews that proposal? In conjunction with the DPS workshop on “How to
be a PI,” the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters is
offering a shortened Proposal Writing Workshop at DPS that is based on
the cumulative experience of current and former Discipline Scientists
who have managed a variety of Research and Announcement (R&A) programs
at NASA Headquarters. The specific focus of this intense, educational
session is to provide a greater understanding of NASA’s review process
and offer constructive and practical insight into writing an effective
research proposal. The event is open to all at no charge and will be
held on Sunday, November 9, from 12-2 pm in Arizona Ballroom 11/12.
All interested planetary scientists, from graduate students through
emeritus professors, are encouraged to attend, and the workshop will
end in time for participants to also attend the “How to be a PI”
workshop.

To register, send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, and current
position to curt.niebur@nasa.gov.

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at Lowell
Observatory to work on an investigation of solids and liquids in the
outer solar system, in particular relating to the surfaces of Titan
and Kuiper Belt Objects. The project links theory, laboratory
experiments, and observations. This postdoc position will focus on
laboratory experiments in the Northern Arizona University (NAU)
Astrophysical Ice Lab, but will include opportunities to work on
observations and theory as well. This position will be co-supervised
by Drs. Henry Roe and Will Grundy.

The initial appointment is for three years with an additional two year
extension expected based on performance. The start date is negotiable,
but preferably in early 2015. This position is funded by a 5-year
grant from the John and Maureen Hendricks Charitable Foundation and
comes with a competitive salary and full benefits, including
relocation. Additional funding is available for research resources,
such as lab and computer equipment, attending conferences, or other
research-related travel.

The American Geosciences Institute is currently accepting applications for the AGI/Schlumberger Fellowship in Geoscience Communication. The successful candidate will play a leading role in AGI’s Critical Issues program, a new initiative to make relevant geoscience information more accessible to decision makers at all levels. The program is supported through AGI’s Center for Geoscience Education and Public Understanding.

The fellowship offers a superb opportunity to link the geoscience community and our understanding of the Earth to decision-making processes throughout the country.

The successful candidate will be a highly creative communicator who is
proficient in traditional and new media and can deliver geoscience information effectively and efficiently to targeted audiences. We seek applicants with excellent writing and graphical skills who have experience in web content development and social media, in addition to a broad geoscience background. Enthusiasm and team spirit are essential.

Candidates should have completed, or be currently pursuing, a Master’s or higher degree.

The fellowship is a 6- to 12-month appointment, based at AGI headquarters in Alexandria, VA. The fellowship carries a stipend of $4,000 per month. The starting date for the Fellowship will be based on the schedule of the successful candidate, but is expected to be in January or February 2015.

The closing date for application materials is October 26, 2014.

Inquiries about the position can be sent to cipinfo at agiweb.org. Please use the subject line “AGI/Schlumberger Fellowship.”

We are seeking a post-doctoral research associate to contribute to a 3-year NSF-funded project titled “Transfer of math, physics, and communication skills into the entry-level photonics workforce”, NSF DGE-1432578. The post-doc will be part of a project team that includes Prof. Benjamin Zwickl (RIT Physics), Prof. Kelly Martin (RIT Communication), and multiple undergraduate and graduate students. The project seeks to answer two major questions about the Rochester-region optics, photonics, and imaging sector: (1) How do different groups (hiring managers, supervisors, and entry-level employees) perceive a skills gap between attaining a degree (AS, BS, MS) and the skills needed for the workplace (inclusive of academia and industry)? (2) What are the ways that entry-level employees in the workplace use physics, optics, mathematics, and communication skills? See http://www.rit.edu/cos/smerc/OpticsWorkforceSummary.pdf for more information about the project.

The postdoctoral researcher will work with the project team to interview study participants; conduct on-site workplace observations; analyze the majority of the qualitative data on workplace usage of mathematics and optics/physics content knowledge; conduct validation interviews for the surveys of math, communication, and physics/optics usage in the workplace; and communicate results to others in higher education and physics education research (PER) through published papers and conference presentations. The postdoc will be affiliated with the Science and Mathematics Education Research Collaborative http://www.rit.edu/cos/smerc/, and will have additional mentoring opportunities through RIT’s Center for Advancing Science/Mathematics Teaching, Learning, & Evaluation (CASTLE) http://www.rit.edu/cos/castle/ .

The candidate must have a PhD in one of the following fields: Physics, Education, Physics Education Research, or related field.

Applications will receive full consideration if received by Dec. 12, 2014. The position will remain open until filled. Applicants must submit a Curriculum Vitae, a cover letter explaining their interests in PER and STEM workforce issues, and 2 letters of recommendation. Apply online at http://careers.rit.edu/ Use code 1380BR to locate the position announcement.

Rochester Institute of Technology is a privately endowed, coeducational university with an enrollment of approximately 18,000 students. The School of Physics and Astronomy consists of 36 faculty, 4 postdocs and 135 majors.
Questions regarding the position may be directed to Prof. Benjamin Zwickl, School of Physics and Astronomy, benjamin.m.zwickl at rit.edu

The University of Toronto Centre for Planetary Sciences (CPS) is a
centre for the study of all planets. The CPS expects to offer several
postdoctoral fellowships of up to three years. The starting date will
be September 1, 2015. Salaries and funds for travel/research expenses
will be competitive. A Ph.D. in any field of earth and planetary
sciences or astrophysics is required. Fellows are expected to carry
out original research in observational or theoretical planetary/
exoplanet science under the general supervision of the CPS-affiliated
faculty at U of T.

Electronic submissions only. Applicants are asked to submit a
curriculum vitae, statement of research interests (3 pages) and
arrange for three letters of recommendation (note that two different
websites are used for the application and for the submission of
reference letters).

The deadline for applications and all letters of recommendation is
December 1, 2014. The University of Toronto is strongly committed to
diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications
from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons,
persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and
others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

Required: PhD, or the equivalent degree from a foreign university, in
Geosciences, Planetary Sciences, Astronomy, Physics or related field.
Applicant must have successfully defended their dissertation prior to
the start date. Course work or research experience in remote sensing
and/or geospatial analyses and planetary geology.

Preferred: Research experience related to geology of Mars. Experience
in processing and analyzing infrared spectral datasets from spacecraft.
Experience with scientific programming in IDL, Python, Matlab, C+-based
language, or similar. Effective writing and verbal communication
skills. Demonstrated outstanding research ability, with an emphasis on
critical thinking skills and high productivity.

Duties: Conduct research in Planetary Science, with emphasis on
quantitative studies of Martian surface and crustal materials through
analysis of spacecraft data.

The Geology and Geochemistry (GG) Cluster of the Department of Earth
Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, is offering a four-year PhD studentship
focused on providing new constraints on the structure and evolution of the
crust of the Moon. Within the GG cluster, researchers work on numerous
topics including mantle petrology, carbonate sedimentology, geochemistry,
geochronology, and planetary science. Lunar evolution is a major research
focus of the planetary science team. The studentship is fully funded by a
NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) User Support
Programme Space Research grant. Within this international project you will
collaborate with researchers at the ESA technical center, ESTEC (European
Space Research and Technology Centre) in Noordwijk (Netherlands) and at the
IPGP (Institut de Physique du Globe) in Paris.

*Tasks*

You will combine recent remote sensing datasets (e.g., imagery, altimetry,
spectroscopy, etc.) with new generations of geophysical models to provide
estimates on the thickness, structure and composition of the lunar
crust. Integrating
multiple remote sensing observations in the framework of mineralogical and
geophysical models for the interpretation of the lunar crust will be one of
the main tasks. You will also design and implement models to reconcile
surface observations with up-to-date experimental research on lunar
interior evolution currently performed at Amsterdam.

*Requirements*

· A completed MSc degree in the field of planetary science, physics, geophysics, geology, or similar relevant field;

· Basic knowledge of remote sensing software;

· Good knowledge of planetary science and/or geology;

· Strong analytical and numerical skills;

· Excellent research and writing skills,

· Good command of the English Language;

· Good communication skills and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.

*Further particulars*

Four years of funding are available. The starting date is negotiable,
preferably no later than January 2015. You can find information about our
excellent fringe benefits of employment at http://www.workingatvu.nl , including:

· remuneration of 8,3% end-of-year bonus and 8% holiday allowance;

· generous contribution (70%) to commuting allowance based on public transport;

· discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance);

· a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

*Salary*

The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic
personnel, range from a minimum of € 2083,-gross per month in the first
year up to a maximum of € 2664,- in the fourth year based on full-time
employment.

You are invited to send a cover letter accompanied by your Curriculum Vitae
and contact information for three referees by email to: Mrs. Fenny Bosse:
f.bosse (at) vu.nl .Please mention vacancy number 14320 in the email header.
Deadline for applications is October 30, 2014.

The Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) in the Physical and Life Sciences (PLS) Directorate is seeking a planetary sciences postdoctoral researcher. This position requires US citizenship. The successful candidate will contribute to several research projects funded by NASA, as well to projects funded by the Department of Energy. NASA related projects will address the origin and evolution of primordial Solar System condensates, primitive meteorites, lunar samples, and martian meteorites. The candidate is expected to have experience with chemical separation by ion chromatography in a class 100 clean room environment, as with as with isotopic analyses by either multi-collector inductively coupled or thermal ionization mass spectrometry. This individual will report to the Group Leader for Chemical and Isotopic Signatures. Send CV to Lars Borg (borg5 at llnl.gov) or Ian Hutcheon (hutcheon1 at llnl.gov).

Applications are now being accepted for a Postdoctoral Research Associate, funded through the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), to work in the Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the area of Jupiter’s magnetic field and magnetosphere, using data from the Juno (New Frontier) mission. Additional details are available at: http://www.astro.umd.edu/employment/#Juno

Candidates for this position should have a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline with prior experience conducting scientific research. Experience with magnetometer instrumentation and data, disciplined programming skills (primarily Fortran and IDL), and scientific writing experience are desired.

The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity employer. All applications received by Sept. 26, 2014 will receive full consideration.

The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute is soliciting applications for five Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships to begin in the fall of 2015. The deadline for applications and letters of reference and endorsement is Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 4 pm PST.

The Sagan Fellowships support outstanding recent postdoctoral scientists to conduct independent research that is broadly related to the science goals of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration program. The primary goal of missions within this program is to discover and characterize planetary systems and Earth-like planets around nearby stars.

The European Space Agency awards several postdoctoral fellowships each year. The aim of these fellowships is to provide young scientists, holding a PhD or the equivalent degree, with the means of performing space science research in fields related to the ESA Science and Robotic Exploration Programs. Areas of research include planetary science, astronomy and astrophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial science, plasma physics and fundamental physics. The fellowships have a duration of two years and are tenable at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, Netherlands, or at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid, Spain.

Applications are now solicited for fellowships in space science to begin in the fall of 2015. Preference will be given to applications submitted by candidates within five years of receiving their PhD. Candidates not yet holding a PhD are encouraged to apply, but they must provide evidence that they have received their degree before starting the fellowship.

Postdoctoral Associate Opportunity at MIT in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department
The Fournier Lab within the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at MIT is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Postdoctoral Associate for a 1-year appointment, with possible extension, to begin in the Fall of 2014.

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University invites applications for the position of Exploration Fellow. The mission of the postdoctoral fellowship is to foster SESE’s interdisciplinary research program by attracting and supporting outstanding early-career scientists and engineers to pursue independent research in collaboration with SESE faculty. Research areas within SESE encompass theoretical and observational astrophysics, astrobiology, cosmology, earth and planetary science, instrumentation and systems engineering, and science education.

Hello All, I got this through my alma mater email. Looks like a good program if you’re interested in possibly working for NASA after school:

“As you know NASA, and other Federal agencies, are always looking for the best and brightest science and engineering talent. To help agencies find those talented individuals, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) developed and piloted a STEM track of the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program.

The PMF Program is a Federal-wide, flagship leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. The Program attracts and selects the best candidates possible and is designed with a focus on developing a cadre of potential government leaders. The PMF-STEM track seeks to identify the best future government leaders in STEM disciplines and place them in entry-level positions in Federal agencies around the country. PMF-STEM was piloted last year with a low key rollout.

This year, OPM would like to expand the PMF-STEM track to continue to support the STEM needs of the Federal government. Here’s what you need to know about the PMF-STEM Program:

* The PMF-STEM program is open to graduate students in STEM fields (degree must be confirmed by August 31, 2015);
* Applicants must be a U.S. citizen;
* The annual call for applications comes out in the fall (September – October) on http://www.USAJobs.gov and is generally open for 2 weeks;
* Applicants must apply through http://www.USAJobs.gov;
* More information about the program and application process, including a detailed list of eligibility requirements, can be found at http://www.pmf.gov and information on the PMF-STEM track can be found at http://www.pmf.gov/the-opportunity/pmf-stem.aspx.

Additionally, please go to the Academia page of the PMF website which includes important information for the academia community: http://www.pmf.gov/academia/index.aspx. I encourage you to click on the link on the left-hand side of that page to subscribe to the PMF Campus Listserve (basically, email listserv@listserv.opm.gov in plain text formatting without signature or attachments). Through the listserve you will receive important program updates.

Federal agencies hire PMF-STEM Finalists into paid, entry-level, two-year Fellowship positions. At the end of the Fellowship, Finalists have 2 years of Federal work experience and may be non-competitively converted into permanent positions within the Federal government. NASA participated in the 2014 pilot and intends to actively consider PMF-STEM candidates for the 2015 program.

More information will be sent out when it becomes available; including information about OPM Adobe Connect information sessions for faculty and students. This is a great opportunity for your graduate students and I encourage you to share information about the program with them.

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2014) to be held on Sunday, July 20, 2014 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF). With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of this year’s LunGradCon is also expanding to include both lunar and small bodies science. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for registration and abstract submission is June 13th 2014, 11:59 PM PDT.

Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater
Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona
October 4 – October 12, 2014

The LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration is excited to announce a student field camp opportunity coming this fall! The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is organized under the auspices of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), which is designed, in part, to train a new generation of explorers for the Moon and beyond.

The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is a week-long geology field class and research project based at Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, more popularly known as Meteor Crater. The goal will be to introduce students to impact cratering processes and provide an opportunity to assist with a research project at the crater. Skills developed during the field camp should better prepare the students for their own thesis studies in impact cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, asteroids, Mars, or some other Solar System planetary surface.

The field camp is designed for graduate college students in geology and planetary science programs, although advanced undergraduate students will be considered if they have successfully completed a summer field geology program and have a demonstrated interest in impact cratering processes. U.S. and international students are eligible to apply.

The field camp is offered October 4–October 12, 2014, and limited to sixteen participants. Interested candidates should apply by July 11, 2014, to be considered.

LunGradCon 2014 is coming up! Registration is open and abstracts on lunar and small bodies science are now being accepted. If you are a grad student or early career postdoc attending the Exploration Science Forum in July, LunGradCon is a great way to get some presentation practice and meet fellow young scientists. Formal announcement below:

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2014) to be held on Sunday, July 20, 2014 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum (ESF). With the expanded interests of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of this year’s LunGradCon is also expanding to include both lunar and small bodies science. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for regsitration and abstract submission is June 13th 2014, 11:59 PM PDT.

For those who are also AGU members:
I am about to graduate – What on Earth do I do now? 10 things you can do NOW to get a job
Join us for a webinar on 13 May, 3:00—4:00 P.M. EDT
Whether you started career planning and job searching a year ago, a month ago, or today, there are a few things you can do to get the ball rolling and land a job you enjoy. Number 1: Don’t panic! It’s never too late to launch a thoughtful strategy. Number 2: Know that you are valuable in myriad industries and ecosystems. In this webinar, you will learn specific tasks you can do RIGHT NOW to get a job and advance in your career.
Space is limited. Reserve your spot todayhttps://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/392893745

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2014) to be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 19-20, 2014 at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), preceding the NASA Exploration Science Forum. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs.

The Earth and Planetary Sciences department at Johns Hopkins has just posted an ad for its Blaustein Departmental Fellowship. This year, the search will be focused on candidates with an interest in the broad areas of planetary atmospheric chemistry or planetary geology/geophysics, with a focus on terrestrial planets or icy satellites. Anticipated support is for 2 years, and review of candidates will begin on 5/1.
The full ad is posted at: eps.jhu.edu/Blaustein_Ad_2014.pdf, and interested folks are encouraged to contact either Kevin Lewis (klewis at jhu.edu) and/or Sarah Horst (sarah.horst at jhu.edu) for more info!

“The opening is at Hampton University’s Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences — we offer MS and PhD degrees in Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, and my project could support either of the tracks (i.e., “Atmospheric Sciences” track or “Planetary Science” track). Here’s a link to our website: http://cas.hamptonu.edu/
Contact: kunio.sayanagi@hamptonu.edu

Our objective is to improve cloud-tracking wind measurement methods primarily for planetary mission remote-sensing applications. Currently, there are several approaches to measure wind fields by tracking cloud motions but their performances and characteristics have not been compared side by side in a systematic way. So our study will try to determine what’s working and what’s not. This will involve a large amount of data and extensive image processing, so programming background will be highly desirable.”

The L’Oréal For Women in Science program recognizes and rewards the contributions women make in the STEM fields and identifies exceptional women researchers committed to serving as role models for younger generations. More than 2,000 women scientists in over 100 countries have been recognized since the program began in 1998.

The L’Oréal USA For Women In Science fellowship program will award five post-doctoral women scientists in the United States this year with grants of up to $60,000 each. Applicants are welcome from a variety of fields, including the life and physical/material sciences, technology (including computer science), engineering, and mathematics.

I invite you to collaborate with us and spread the word to your community about this special fellowship program for exceptional female post-doctoral researchers. We are looking for role models for the next generation and hope to help encourage girls to pursue careers in science.

The Astrobiology Early Career Collaboration Award offers research-related travel support for undergraduate, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior scientists. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more laboratories supported by the NASA Astrobiology Program (ASTEP, ASTID, Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology or the NAI), however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered. Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution. Requests are limited to $5,000.

The Astromaterials directorate at NASA Johnson Space Center is looking for applicants to the NASA Pathways Co-op Program which is a relatively new program at JSC and only recently has been opened up to science students. We are seeking outstanding graduate students that are currently enrolled in graduate program to participate in this part-time program where students will work part-time at the Johnson Space Center as a paid intern conducting research in pursuit of their doctorate degree. The students would spend part of the year living and working at JSC and the other part of the year working at their home institutions. Applicants must be US citizens.

Cover letters included with the application should include a brief description of the research project to be conducted and how it would complement the ongoing research at ARES. Research topics should focus on planetary science with an emphasis on astromaterials such as meteorites, terrestrial analogs, and returned samples. Strong applications will have large overlap with ongoing research activities at ARES. We strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact us (poc: paul.b.niles at nasa.gov) prior to applying so that a suitable project can be outlined that will also contribute to the students final dissertation.

This program has a number of advantages including substantial financial support through graduation, payment of travel and transportation expenses between JSC and the home institution, other potential reimbursements including annual leave and sick leave. In addition, upon graduation interns may be considered for conversion to permanent employment at Johnson Space Center as a civil servant.

The application deadline for the fall semester is February 28th, 2014 and must be submitted through USA Jobs (Job Announcement Number: JS14I0002). Students will be expected to start no later than August 25, 2014. More information is available in the job announcement: http://tinyurl.com/p5wqbav. While this program is primarily used for engineering students, we are beginning to bring well qualified planetary science graduate students through it as well.

Curious about how to improve the quality of the proposals you send to
NASA? Ever wonder what the review panel is really looking for when it
reviews that proposal? The Planetary Science Division at NASA
Headquarters is offering a Proposal Writing Workshop at LPSC that is
based on the cumulative experience of current and former Discipline
Scientists who have managed a variety of Research and Announcement
(R&A) programs at NASA Headquarters. The specific focus of this
intense, educational session is to provide a greater understanding of
NASA’s research programs and review process and offer constructive and
practical insight into writing an effective research proposal. The
event is open to all at no charge and will be held on Sunday, March
16, from 12-4 pm in Waterway 1. All interested planetary scientists,
from graduate students through emeritus professors, are encouraged to
attend.

To register, send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, and current
position to curt.niebur at nasa.gov.

The 2014 International Summer School in Astrobiology will be held at the summer campus of the Spanish National University (UIMP), Palacio de la Magdalena, Santander, Spain, June 23-27, 2014.

This year’s theme is “Habitable Environments in the Universe.” The school will provide an interdisciplinary examination of the nature and evaluation of habitability, an environment’s ability to support life. Topics to be covered will include life’s requirements and the limits of life, the factors that affect habitability for local and global environments, and potentially habitable environments in our Solar System and on extrasolar planets.

The school includes a week of lectures from international experts, round-table discussions, student projects, and a field trip to a nearby site of astrobiological interest. On-site accommodation and all meals are provided.

The application deadline will be February 28 for NAI student travel scholarships, and students of any nationality studying at a US institution are eligible. These scholarships cover travel costs, school fees, accommodation and meals.

Sorry for the late notice on this one…
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology

Application Deadline: February 3, 2014

The American Philosophical Society and the NASA Astrobiology Institute have partnered to promote the continued exploration of the world around us through a program of research grants in support of astrobiological field studies undertaken by graduate students, postdoctoral students, and early career scientists who are affiliated with U.S. institutions.

The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology is designed for field studies in any area of astrobiology research. Grants may be used for travel and related expenses, including field equipment, up to $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a committee that includes members of the NAI, the APS, and the wider science community as needed. Recipients will be designated as Lewis and Clark Field Scholars in Astrobiology.

Additional information, including the application forms and instructions, is available at the APS’s Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology page: http://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/astrobiology

Launched in 1971 by HolgerJannasch, the Microbial Diversity summer course at the Marine Biological Laboratory has trained generations of scientists from diverse backgrounds. The course will be held at MBL July 5 – August 21 and is an intense immersion experience for 20 students that lasts 6.5 weeks.

The course is an intense learning experience, typically for mid-Ph.D. level graduate students and is approximately 5 weeks long. It will begin in Los Angeles, California, with a field trip north to several geobiologically relevant sites in the Mono Lake, California area, followed by laboratory time at Cal State Fullerton and the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Catalina Island, California.

NASA Ames Academy is a Diverse Summer Program that Focuses on Leadership, Team Building, and Provides Direct Contact with NASA Research in Advanced Science and Engineering. The 10-week summer Academy, for undergraduates and graduate students, runs from the 2nd week of June through the third week of August. Transportation and housing will be provided by NASA in addition to a $4k stipend from your Space Grant for the summer.

Harvard college invites applications for the inaugural cohort of the newly launched Harvard-MIT Postdoctoral Fellowships for Future Faculty Leaders program. The program specifically seeks individuals whose research will contribute to increasing diversity and inclusion in the fields of physics and astronomy. Contributions include increasing the participation in science research of women and underrepresented minorities through teaching, mentoring, research advising, and public outreach. The program is also targeted toward individuals who can bring unique perspectives to their fields of research, critical insights that result from non-traditional paths to academia, and backgrounds that can contribute to increasing diversity at Harvard and MIT.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is
offering summer projects for students interested in working on NASA
missions or space-related research opportunities at APL. Students
will receive a stipend for the 10-week program, and housing will be
provided. Visit the website for more information and to apply:

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 26th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will be held in three separate sessions in summer 2014 (June 16-20, July 14-18, and August 11-15) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. The 2014 sessions will address planetary exploration missions needing power system trade-offs, including the use of solar electric vs. Multi-mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (MMRTG). The session in August will have a targeted focus on spacecraft power systems.

Applications are due April 1, 2014. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program – Internship Opportunities
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is currently accepting applications for internship opportunities available at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS), Maui, Hawaii. AFRL Scholars Program internships are competitive awards that provide AFRL-related involvement for students to gain degree-relevant, real-world experience while contributing to the operation of an AFRL site and supporting the advancement of DoD missions. Internship opportunities are primarily in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Selected interns are paid a competitive stipend award amount based on their academic level.

Invitations are now being accepted for Undergraduate Student, Graduate
Student (MSc and PhD) and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Exploration.
These positions are funded through a 6-year NSERC CREATE project
entitled “Technologies and Techniques for Earth and Space Exploration”,
led by the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration at The
University of Western Ontario, Canada. Collaborating institutions are
the University of British Columbia, Memorial University of
Newfoundland, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, and York
University. Positions may be tenable at any of these 6 universities.

This program provides interdisciplinary training and opportunities
in 4 key areas of research:

The Caltech Postdoctoral Scholars Program at the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) invites applications for a postdoctoral research
position in JPL’s Planetary Science Section.

The research will involve selection of landing sites for the 2016
InSight Discovery and 2020 Mars Rover Missions. Dr. Matt Golombek will
serve as JPL postdoctoral advisor to the selected candidate who will
carry out research in collaboration with the advisor, resulting in
publications.

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in Saint Louis invites applications for the Steve Fossett Postdoctoral Fellowship. The Department seeks outstanding candidates who will strengthen and complement existing areas of study, including both terrestrial and planetary geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and geobiology. Candidates will be encouraged to collaborate directly with Faculty and students within the Department, and will be invited to lead a seminar in their area of expertise. Ideal candidates will have trans-disciplinary interests, and will interact scientifically with a broad spectrum of the Department’s members. This competitive postdoc is awarded for a one-year period, which may be extended to a second year. The annual salary is $58,000 with additional research funds of $5,000 per year. Applicants
should contact a potential Faculty sponsor to discuss additional arrangements.
More info at: http://eps.wustl.edu/sfpf2014

The American Physical Society (APS), with support from NSF, will host two Professional Skills Development Workshops in 2014 for female physicists. Postdoctoral associates and early to mid-career faculty and scientists are invited to apply. Senior graduate students (defined as a student graduating within the next six months), recent graduates, and physicists in-between careers are also welcome to apply.

Applicants affiliated with a US institution/facility are eligible for travel and lodging funding consideration. Those needing funding assistance are encouraged to apply early. The deadlines for the workshops and a link to the online application can be found here:

The 2014 CIDER summer program will be held at the KITP in Santa Barbara (CA) from June 22- Aug 1, 2014, on the theme: “Dynamics of Planetary Interiors”.
Weeks 1-2 (June 22-July 5) of this six week program will provide the opportunity for groups of scientists to interact freely. Weeks 3-6 (July 6 to Aug 1) is a tutorial and workshop program for advanced graduate students and post-docs. Senior scientists are welcome at any point in the program, but priority will be given to those that stay for at least 2 weeks.

More information, as well as the on-line application form can be found at:http://www.deep-earth.org/summer14.shtml
Application deadline: January 31, 2014
The CIDER program is sponsored by the NSF/FESD program.

This award is established by the Planetary Science Institute in memory
of Senior Scientist Betty Pierazzo to support and encourage graduate
students to build international collaborations and relationships in
planetary science. Two awards will be made each year, contingent upon
there being meritorious applications. One will be awarded to a graduate
student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution within the U.S.
This is to support travel to a planetary science related meeting
(conferences and workshops) outside of the U.S. The second award will
be to a graduate student working on his or her Ph.D. at an institution
outside of the U.S. This is to support travel to a planetary science
related meeting within the U.S. These include general meetings that
have planetary-focused sessions such as the AGU, GSA, EGU and IAG.

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY – SESE EXPLORATION POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS
AVAILABLE

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State
University invites applications for the Exploration Postdoctoral
Fellowship Program. This program provides opportunities for
postdoctoral research emphasizing inter-disciplinary collaboration.
Research areas within SESE encompass astronomy, cosmology,
astrobiology, earth sciences, climate science, planetary sciences,
exploration systems engineering, instrumentation for exploration, and
science education.

Applications must include a research proposal that has been discussed
with prospective faculty mentors at ASU. Potential research topics
span the full range of research interests of our facultyhttp://sese.asu.edu/opportunities

As of September 16, 2013 applications are accepted for the 2014 Ford Foundation Fellowships Programs for Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching. Full eligibility information and online applications are available on our website at: http://nationalacademies.org/ford

If you want to compete, please register via the website! Once you register, I will follow up with more details as they emerge. You do NOT have to register for the AGU conference in order to compete in FameLab.

NASA is seeking applications from U.S. graduate students for the agency’s Space Technology Research Fellowships. The research grants, worth as much as $68,000 per year, will coincide with the start of the 2014 fall term.

Applications will be accepted from students pursuing or planning to pursue master’s or doctorate degrees in relevant space technology disciplines at accredited U.S. universities. The grants will sponsor U.S. graduate student researchers who show significant potential to contribute to NASA’s strategic space technology objectives through their studies. To date, NASA has awarded grants to 193 student researchers from 68 universities located in 33 states and one U.S. territory.
The deadline for submitting applications is Nov. 13. For more information and instructions on how to submit applications, visit:

Sun. 6 Oct. 2013, 4:30-6:00pm. DPS meetings are great places for
students to network among other scientists, to learn about how other
scientists encounter scientific problems, and get new ideas. However,
there are so many great presentations, talks, events, and information
in a short time that the students rarely find time to network among
other students and get advice close to their own level. This event will
help students meet other students, in particular those who work on
similar topics, to discuss their scientific views and general issues,
and encourages the students to participate in brain storming
conversations and joint projects. Since the post-docs were graduate
students not so long ago, their advise and experience is valuable to
graduate students, and for that reason this event will include post-
docs as well. With these grounds, the goal of the student and post-doc
reception is to prepare an icebreaker environment for students and
post-docs to get familiar with each other on the first day of the
meeting and use the rest of the meeting to enhance those connections
and get involved with other activities.

The International Space Science Institute invites applications for two Post-Doctoral Positions for a two-year period starting in January 2014 or by agreement. One of the two positions is in Space Sciences, the other is in Earth Sciences. The successful candidates should have received a Ph.D. within the last five years in a field relating to either Space or Earth Sciences in general. All applications must be received by ISSI no later than October 31st, 2013. http://www.issibern.ch/spotlight/PostDoc13.pdf

The Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award is for undergraduate or graduate students, of any nationality, working in any country, in the disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, astronomy, or biology. The award, which will include $2500, is to be applied for the study of impact craters, either on Earth or on the other solid bodies in the solar system. Areas of study may include but shall not necessarily be limited to impact cratering processes; the bodies (asteroidal or cometary) that make the impacts; or the geological, chemical, or biological results of impact cratering. Details about the award as well as an application form for interested students can be found at

The University of Texas Center for Aeromechanics Research has a postdoctoral research position available to develop a three dimensional DSMC simulation of Pluto’s extended atmosphere in anticipation of the New Horizons arrival. A researcher in the field of planetary atmospheres with a background in programming and outer solar system physics is desired. Knowledge of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method
or related stochastic modeling would be very helpful. Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant discipline and a strong interest in upper atmospheric physics. Position is available immediately.
Initial appointment is for one year but is renewable for an additional year

To apply, please contact Prof. David Goldstein at david (at) ices.utexas.edu.

NASA is accepting applications for the Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowship Award. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are members of an underrepresented group (including women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities) majoring in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) discipline.

The Award provides:
– $10,000 tuition offset
– $27,000 stipend for PhD students, $22,000 stipend for Masters students
– $8,000 for research experience at a NASA Center or the Jet Propulsion Lab
Funding is provided for up to three years.

The European Space Agency awards several postdoctoral fellowships each
year. The aim of these fellowships is to provide young scientists, holding
a PhD or the equivalent degree, with the means of performing space science
research in fields related to the ESA Science and Robotic Exploration
Programmes. Areas of research include planetary science, astronomy and
astrophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial science, plasma physics and
fundamental physics. The fellowships have a duration of two years and are
tenable at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in
Noordwijk, Netherlands, or at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)
in Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid, Spain.

Applications are now solicited for fellowships in space science to begin
in the fall of 2014. Preference will be given to applications submitted by
candidates within five years of receiving their PhD. Candidates not
holding a PhD yet are encouraged to apply, but they must provide evidence
of receiving their degree before starting the fellowship.

ESA fellows are enrolled in ESA’s Social Security Scheme, which covers
medical expenses, invalidity and death benefits. A monthly deduction
covers these short-term and long-term risks.

The deadline for applications is 1 October 2013.

More information on the ESA Research Fellowship programme in Space
Science, on the conditions and eligibility, as well as the application
form can be found on the world-wide web at this address:http://www.rssd.esa.int/fellowship

CPSX – 2013 PS Short Course
September 2nd-8th, 2013
This is an intensive 7-day short course for graduate students, researchers, industry and government employees on planetary science. The focus of the course will be on the fundamental processes that have shaped the terrestrial planets and their moons, and asteroids. Particular emphasis will be placed on investigations of the Moon, Mars, and asteroids, which represent the highest priority targets for the Canadian planetary science community and the Canadian Space Agency.http://cpsx.uwo.ca/study/courses/2013-short-course

Anyone students (undergrad, grad) or post docs interested in Lunar Science is encouraged to participate in this upcoming conference. Please let me know if you have any questions.

–Heidi Fuqua
——————

LUNGRADCON 2013 VIRTUAL WORKSHOP – REGISTRATION DEADLINE APPROACHING

The abstract submission and registration deadline is approaching for LunGradCon! Participants must register by June 15th, 2013. The 4th Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2013) is to be held on Wednesday, July 10th, prior to the NASA Lunar Science Forum. This year LunGradCon will be an entirely virtual one day workshop. Participants can choose to join in using Adobe Connect, Google+ HangOuts, or a call-in polycom system. LunGradCon is organized to provide an opportunity for graduate students and early-career postdocs to present their research in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In keeping with the future direction of the NLSI, we encourage participation from all students and postdocs investigating the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, Phobos and Deimos, and the near space environments of these target bodies.

Registration is now open for the 4th Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2013) to be held on Wednesday, July 10th, prior to the NASA Lunar Science Forum. This year LunGradCon will be entirely virtual and held from 9:00AM-2:00PM PDT (tentative). Participants can choose to join in using Adobe Connect, Google+ HangOuts, or a call-in polycom system. LunGradCon is organized to provide an opportunity for graduate students and early-career postdocs to present their research in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In keeping with the future direction of the NLSI, we encourage participation from all students and postdocs investigating the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, Phobos and Deimos, and the near space environments of these target bodies.

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Research Council’s Space Science Board. The autumn program is open to undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline for applications is 7 June. Candidate(s) selected will be contacted no later than 5 July.

astrobiology related postdocs:
—-
A Post-Doctoral Research Associate position in the areas of Prebiotic Chemistry/Origin of Life/Astrobiology is available immediately in the research group of Prof. Nita Sahai. Our research interests are to examine the potential role of minerals in the evolutionary selection of model lipid protocells, in eneregy transduction as prebiotic enzymes and in promoting RNA nucleotide formation and replication. The ideal candidate should have expertise in working with lipid/amphiphile vesicles, including but not limited to, fluorescence microscopy, quantitative fluorometry, nanoparticle characterization, working in a glove bag controlled atmosphere, HPLC and the usual other wet chemistry techniques. The initial appointment is for one year with possibility for extension up to two more years, based on performance and funding. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, statement of research interests, recent relevant publications and three recommendation letters to: Prof. Nita Sahai, Department of Polymer Science and Integrated Bioscience Program, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3909; email: sahai at uakron.edu
—-
Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity – Request for Applications
Application Deadline: May 31, 2013

The Simons Foundation, a private nonprofit foundation based in New York City, sponsors a range of programs that aim to promote a deeper understanding of our world. The foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. The collaboration is now inviting applications for postdoctoral fellowships to support independent research on topics related to the origins of life at one or more laboratories or research institutions in any country.

The University of Hawaii node of the NAI is pleased to announce that it is hosting another astrobiology winter school on the topic of “Water and the Evolution of Life in the Universe” to be held in January 2014 on the island of Hawaii.

This educational experience is aimed at early career scientists. It features world class speakers, unique field-trips and an opportunity to meet and interact with a cohort of like-minded young scientists:

The University of Michigan Engineering is hosting the NextProf Workshop this year on September 25-27. This workshop is designed to encourage women in engineering and science to consider academia as an exciting and rewarding career. Participants will develop strategies to strengthen their ability to pursue an academic career in the engineering field.

Please distribute the news to your Ph.D. students, post-docs and recent graduates, and nominate them for this workshop (Deadline is June 3, 2013). For more details, here is a link to the workshop website: http://www.nextprof2013.engin.umich.edu

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2013 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2013 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2013. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

AGU Seminar:
Managing the Two-Body Challenge: Two Partners, Two Careers, One Happy Life

You and your partner can both have fulfilling and exciting careers, and it can be done in the same location. In this webinar, we discuss the elements of the classic “two-body challenge” and how to look for, create, and negotiate for opportunities that meet both of your career goals.

The Center for Space Physics at Boston University invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position supervised by Professor Paul Withers. The research will involve the analysis of observations from the ionospheres of Venus and Mars, supplemented by numerical simulations.

Candidates should possess a PhD degree in a relevant field. Experience conducting research on planetary ionospheres is desirable. The salary offered will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Funding is available for two years with the possibility of extension. The appointment is expected to begin as soon as possible after 1 June 2013.
Please contact Paul Withers (withers@bu.edu) for further information.

Applications should be sent by email to Paul Withers (withers@bu.edu).
The application should be submitted in PDF format and contain a curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and contact information for three referees. Review of applications will begin on 30 April 2013. Women and underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Boston University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 25th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (July 29-August 2 and August 12-16) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 5, 2013. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

You are invited to come and present your research at the Lunar Graduate Student Conference 2013:

Registration is now open for the 4th Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2013) to be held prior to the NASA Lunar Science Forum on July 13 and 14 at NASA Ames Research Center. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI). In keeping with the future direction of the NLSI, we encourage participation from all students and postdocs investigating the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, Phobos and Deimos, and the near space environments of these target bodies. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs.

The Communicating Science 2013 workshop will be held in Cambridge, MA, June 13-15 2013. This interdisciplinary workshop will give participants the chance to hear from expert communicators including journalists, press officers, educators, and authors about how they express complex ideas to their peers, experts in other fields, and the general public. More than 20 such expert panelists will be in attendance, including Emily Lakdawalla, Alyssa Goodman, Marcia Bartusiak, Kelle Cruz, David Aguilar, Christine Jones, and Rick Fienberg. Workshop participants will also produce an original written piece and interact directly with these professional science communicators to receive feedback. Additionally, there will be a technical session on the last day of the workshop for graduate student communicators from around the country to interact with each other and spawn new communication projects. To learn more about the panel discussions and activities planned for the workshop, visit the workshop website.http://workshop.astrobites.com/
Applications due March 1st!

We are announcing a new preliminary competition at the 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston in March, 2013! As of this moment, the exact dates of the FameLab events during the conference are still unconfirmed, but our plan is to hold the morning competition rounds and afternoon workshop on Sunday, March 17th, and the evening competition round on Wednesday, March 20th…I will send an update when we have confirmation. More info below…sign up here: http://famelab-eeb.arc.nasa.gov/

The Johns Hopkins University invites applications for the Morton K. Blaustein Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS). We seek an outstanding individual with a recent Ph.D. in any area of Earth and Planetary sciences. The successful candidate will be free to pursue his/her independent research interests. Projects that complement our existing research programs and that involve two or more of the faculty from EPS and other Hopkins departments will be given preference.

Information on our department and its research activities can be found at http://www.eps.jhu.edu. Applicants should contact faculty with whom they are interested in working. The duration of the fellowship is one year with an anticipated extension for a second year. The position carries a competitive salary and fringe benefits, includes an annual stipend for travel and research expenses, and provides eligibility to participate in the Johns Hopkins University health plans.

This fellowship allows one to work with researchers from more than one Johns Hopkins department/division. There are a few planetary scientists with appointments in the EPS department who also work full time at APL, so it could be a good option for someone who wants to work with folks who have both terrestrial and planetary expertise and wants to make APL contacts…..

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 25th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (July 29-August 2 and August 12-16) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 5, 2013. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

ASP’s 125th Annual Meeting, July 20-24 in San Jose, CA, featuring the triennial Cosmos in the Classroom conference (I went last time and it was great!) and the annual Education & Public Outreach conference (Susan had a poster in this part of the meeting a few years ago), running concurrently this year and available to all participants registering for either conference. More details and links are below, including info about a new, “super-early-bird” registration rate available for a limited time…http://astrosociety.org/education/asp-annual-meeting/

Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Award
The NASA Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Award offers research-related travel support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more research teams, however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered. Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution. Requests are limited to $5,000. The next deadline is April 1, 2013

Applications are invited for two postdoctoral positions at the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies.

Research areas for the first position include analysis of (1) radar data for Venus and integration with geologic mapping, (2) lunar radar images for studies of impact melt and other deposits, (3) SHARAD sounding data for Mars with an emphasis on polar deposits. Skills in quantitative remote sensing analysis, planetary mapping and tectonics, GIS integration of remote sensing data, and electromagnetic modeling are potentially relevant.

Research areas for the second position include (1) landscape evolution modeling of cratered highlands on Mars, (2) estimation of the volume of material eroded, (3) analysis of stratigraphy exposed on crater floors, and (4) field study of terrestrial analogs to Martian fluvial landforms. A background in quantitative terrestrial or planetary geomorphology and experience with GIS analysis of imaging and topography are desired.

Please apply by January 15, 2013 through the Smithsonian SOLAA site, SOLAA.si.edu, and select the Earth and Planetary Sciences Fellowship program under the National Air and Space Museum.

POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITY IN PLANETARY SCIENCE AT UNIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA DULUTH

The Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Minnesota
Duluth seeks a full time Postdoctoral Associate to conduct original
geological mapping and research of Venus with the goal to understand
regional- to global-scale geohistories, and implications for geodynamic
processes and Venus evolution. Requirements include: a recent Ph.D.
(or foreign equivalent) in geology, geophysics, or related field, and
experience in geologic mapping and GIS. Candidates with a strong
field-based geologic mapping experience and/or geologic mapping using
remote sensing data. The appointment is for up to 3 years, and includes
healthcare, and salary commensurate with experience. Preferred start
date: Jan. 2, 2013. For more details, or questions, please contact
Vicki Hansen (218-726-8628; or vhansen@d.umn.edu).

The University of Minnesota requires that you apply online for this
position (requisition number: 181894).

Applications should include: a cover letter with current contact
information; CV; summary of research experience, skills, and interests;
unofficial transcripts, and contact information for three references.

1- Opportunity for Early Career Scientists to Participate in the Astrobiology Grand Tour to Western Australia
Application Deadline: December 1, 2012

The NAI is accepting applications from early career astrobiologists (graduate students, postdoctoral fellows or others within 5 years of their Ph.D) to participate in an 11-day tour of astrobiology-relevant field sites in Western Australia in June 2013. Included will be the extant stromatolites of Shark Bay, the banded iron formations and iron ore mines of the Hamersley Basin, the putatively cyanobacterial stromatolites of the 2.7 Ga Fortescue Group, and the 3.35-3.49 Ga fossiliferous and other units of the Pilbara Craton with what is arguably the oldest convincing evidence of life on Earth.

The tour, from June 18 to June 28, 2013, will be led by Professor Malcolm Walter of the University of New South Wales, the founding director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (ACA). The trip is designed for scientists interested in the earliest life on Earth and early Earth environments. Additional information is available athttp://aca.unsw.edu.au/node/78

The NAI will provide partial support for up to five individuals, including 1/2 of the tour cost, plus airfare from the US to Perth and from Port Hedland to the US, as well as up to 2 additional days lodging and per diem. Participants will be responsible for reserving a place on the tour, including a $400 deposit and the remaining 1/2 of the tour cost.

Applicants should provide:
* a short description of how participation in this trip will contribute to your research or training in astrobiology
* a letter of support from your advisor/principal investigator Applications are due by December 1, 2012 to Dr. Edward Goolish, Deputy Director of the NAI, edward.goolish@nasa.gov.

2- MSc, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow Positions Available in 2013 with the Canadian Astrobiology Training Program
Application Deadline: January 18, 2013

Astrobiology is broadly defined as the scientific study of the origin, evolution, distribution, conditions and destiny of life in the universe. This new, transdisciplinary science is based on two scientific revolutions – the recent realization that microbial life is extremely hardy and can thrive in very harsh environments previously thought uninhabitable on Earth and the explosion of space technologies that are driving the robotic exploration of Mars and other planets in the search for life in our solar system. The Canadian Astrobiology Training Program (CATP) is the first Canadian cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral training program in Astrobiology and is a NSERC–funded Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (CREATE) (2009-2015) located at McGill University, McMaster University, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto, and the University of Winnipeg. CATP by its very nature will be accomplished through collaborative and integrative research approaches containing elements of geology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, microbiology, and robotics. CATP trainees (~70 graduate & undergraduate students, PDFs over the next 5 years) will be exposed to innovative research and training approaches, combining fieldwork at unique Canadian analogue sites, including those in the high Arctic, with laboratory work at cutting edge analytical facilities at participating university, government, and industry partners. Shared expertise within and among institutions will be provided by means of course and seminar videoconferencing, and interdisciplinary supervision. Professional training will be enhanced by training rotations with our collaborators at CSA, MDA Space Missions, and our international partners, including NASA Ames. CATP HQP trained in various aspects of astrobiology will be at the forefront of the search for life beyond the Earth. Indeed, CATP will address the recognized lack of HQP in space science and lead to new scientific opportunities and promote Canadian participation in future missions to Mars. The skills acquired through this program will be directly transferable to various other disciplines, such as Earth and environmental sciences, robotics, medicine, and astronomy.

We are presently seeking applicants for Graduate Student Fellowship (MSc and PhD) and Post Doctoral Fellow (PDF) positions available in 2013.

Successful applicants will have a strong interest in astrobiology and have an excellent background in microbiology/ molecular biology, geology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and/or robotics or other related disciplines. There are no restrictions on the nationality of the applicant. Applications will be received until January 18, 2013.

Elsevier’s Postdoc Free Access Passport
The Postdoc Free Access Passport program provides unlimited access to books and journals on ScienceDirect for up to six months to young scholars who do not have a research position. The program’s mission is to help postdocs stay abreast of new science and maintain their interest in advancing their field as the markets improve. The program provides an opportunity to invest in the future of science by keeping promising young scientists current who would otherwise be without access to content. Applications will be accepted until December 15, 2012.

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship program awards 35 women of any nationality $10,000 for pursuits of a Ph.D degree in aerospace-related sciences. Fellows have gone on to become astronomers, astronauts, professors, business owners, heads of companies, etc. Applications are due by November 15, 2012. To read more on the requirements, please see

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is accepting applications for the new Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year. The scholarship will be awarded to a thesis-based, full time female student pursuing either a Master’s or a Doctoral degree in the geosciences, and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship is merit-based, and applicants will be evaluated on the probability of successfully completing their geoscience graduate program and transitioning into the geoscience workforce following graduation.http://www.agiweb.org/scholarships/wallace/

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University invites applications for the Exploration Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The mission of the program is to provide opportunities for conducting postdoctoral research on cutting-edge topics and to foster inter-disciplinary collaboration. Potential research topics span the full range of research interests of our faculty (http://sese.asu.edu/focus_areas). Research foci within SESE encompass theoretical and observational astrophysics, cosmology, earth sciences, climate science, planetary science, astrobiology, exploration systems engineering, development of instrumentation for exploration, and science education.

The American Astronomical Society has an exciting new program designed especially for you! It’s called Astronomy Ambassadors, and we hope you will take part.

We know that junior members are often very excited about doing astronomy outreach within their community and can serve as excellent role models for K-12 students and their families. The AAS is partnering with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Center for Astronomy Education, and other organizations to provide tools and techniques for effective outreach, beginning with a weekend workshop preceding the AAS meeting in Long Beach, Jan. 5-6.

The workshop is free of charge, and the AAS will provide travel stipends to defray the cost of your hotel accommodations for the weekend. Details are here: http://aas.org/education/ambassadors

You won’t be on your own after the workshop. We will build an online forum for communication among the Astronomy Ambassadors, and with your trainers, to exchange ideas, resources, and experiences.

Please consider coming to our inaugural Astronomy Ambassadors workshop and helping to put a face on science for your community! Note that we especially encourage participation by members of groups that are currently underrepresented in science. And please pass this message to your friends in case they might be interested but are not (yet) AAS members.

CALLING ALL EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS! PASSIONATE ABOUT SCIENCE? LOVE TO COMMUNICATE?

You are wholeheartedly invited to participate in FameLab: Exploring Earth and Beyond!

FameLab is something like American Idol for scientists… Sponsored by NASA and National Geographic, it’s a fun-filled day of competition, coaching, and camaraderie that’s all about science communication! At regional heats held across the US over the next 18 months—starting with the AGU Fall meeting in December—early career scientists from diverse scientific disciplines craft a 3-minute, powerpoint-free talk on their research or a related topic and deliver it in a supportive environment to judges who give only constructive feedback. No slides, no charts—just the power of words and any prop you can hold in your hands. The heart of the whole thing is a workshop conducted by communication professionals to help participants enrich their skills. So unlike American Idol, everyone wins!

Winners from the regional competitions advance to the Final at National Geographic in DC in April, 2014, and the winner there goes on to compete with peers from around the world at the FameLab International Final in the UK in June, 2014…it’s quite the global sensation.

Even if you’re not planning to attend AGU, you’re welcome to participate. This will be the one competition we plan to schedule in the Bay Area, but we’ll also be announcing future competitions as they emerge in the coming months. Register or sign up for our mailing list to stay in the loop: http://famelab-eeb.arc.nasa.gov/.

Hi! Does anyone know of any dissertation scholarships that can be applied for, for the summer or Fall 2013? I’m hoping to finish by Fall of 2013 at the latest but don’t have funding for Summer 2013 or Fall 2013. Thanks!

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the last 2012 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Fall 2012 Travel Grant application deadline is October 15, 2012. http://SoffenFund.org

1. The Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of America
invites applications for two student awards with upcoming deadlines.

The 2012 Eugene M. Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award is offered to
undergraduate or graduate students, of any nationality, working in
any country, in the disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry,
astronomy, or biology. The award, which will include $2500, is to be
applied for the study of impact craters, either on Earth or on the
other solid bodies in the solar system. For more information and
application procedures, please see the PGD website:

2. Students who are current members of PGD, and who are presenting an
abstract at the GSA Annual Meeting, are eligible to apply for a $500
Student Travel Grant to help offset the cost of attending the GSA
meeting. We award up to two of these grants each year on a competitive
basis. For application details, please see the PGD website:

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
ARIZONA

The Department of Planetary Sciences/Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of
the University of Arizona has an opening for a Post Doctoral Research
Associate in the field of exoplanet atmospheres. The successful
applicant will work with the exoplanet group at LPL in the development
of models for the thermal structure of exoplanet atmospheres and in
the comparison of models with available observations. Applicants
should have a PhD or equivalent in Planetary Science, Astrophysics, or
Physics and extensive experience with numerical computation using the
Fortran programming language. Applicants should also be familiar with
radiative transfer calculations. The appointment is for two years,
dependent upon the availability of funding. A curriculum vitae and
the names of 3 references should be sent to Dr. Roger Yelle
(yelle@lpl.arizona.edu).

The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute announces the 2013 Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and solicits applications for fellowships to begin in the fall of 2013. The application deadline is Thursday, November 1, 2012.http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/funding/

Hi! I’m Maggie and I am a senior at Colgate University. My major is astrogeophysics and I am looking at graduate schools to apply to for planetary science. Do any of you have any advice for me? Thanks and this is an awesome website!

Hi Maggie,
Nice to meet you and if you have specific questions feel free to e-mail me at ksinger (at) levee.wustl.edu. Also, if you look up the page (or search for “Planetary Science Schools (Grad and Undergrad)” you will see a partial list of places you might apply for grad school. There are certainly more than that, but it can give you something to start from. The best advice is to get a lot of advice from a lot of different people. People have had different experiences and will give you different advice. 🙂
~Kelsi

Describe your field of research in an entertaining video aimed at a non-scientific audience. Tell an interesting geophysical career path story, or even perform a song or skit!
Show off your awesome graphic design talents by creating a one-of-a-kind t-shirt with an Earth and space theme. The winning design will appear on t-shirts sold at the Fall Meeting, and proceeds from all t-shirt sales will be donated to the Student Travel Grant Fund.http://membership.agu.org/students/

The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers atparticipating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These awards include generous stipends ranging from $42,000 – $75,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients, and higher for additional experience. Graduate entry level stipends begin at $30,000. These awards provide the opportunity for recipients to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S.Research opportunities are open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

Detailed program information, including online applications, instructions on how to apply and a list of participating laboratories, is available on the NRC Research Associateship Programs Website (see link above).

In this webinar on Tuesday, June 12 from 3:00pm-4:00pm ET,
undergraduates will have an opportunity to have an open, candid
discussion with a panel of Graduate Students about their
experiences. Topics will include the grad school selection and
application process, financial support through teaching and research
grants, coursework and qualifying exams, and research and thesis
writing. For more info and to register:https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/203033558

Marie Curie Fellowship
Have you ever wanted to do research in Europe? Apply for a Marie Curie Fellowship. The goal of the Marie Curie Fellowship is to strengthen the human potential in research and technology by stimulating people to enter into the profession of research and attracting researchers from the entire world to Europe. This Fellowship addresses researchers at all stages of their careers, in the public and private sectors, from initial research training, specifically intended for young people, to life long learning and career development. Proposals are welcomed from all areas of scientific and technological research and the fellowship covers your salary plus your research expenses. To apply, you must have either a doctoral degree or at least 4 years’ full-time equivalent research experience, after obtaining a degree permitting you to embark on a doctorate.

NSF: Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring
The National Science Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2013 PAESMEM Awards. This program seeks to identify outstanding individual mentoring efforts or organizational programs designed to enhance the participation and retention of individuals who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities in STEM fields. The awardees serve as exemplars to their colleagues and are leaders in the national effort to develop more fully the nation’s human resources in STEM. Nominations are due June 6, 2012.

Space Telescope Science Institute is hiring this year. We’re especially interested in Solar System scientists with some instrumentation background. Please share with your colleagues. http://jobregister.aas.org/job_view?JobID=41941 Note that the deadline is May 15, 2012.

Call for Applications for the JAXA International Top Young Fellowship 2012

The ITYF is designed to attract outstanding, highly motivated, young researchers in any of the space science fields covered by ISAS/JAXA to work in Japan for 3 (extendable to 5) years. The excellent remuneration package includes research budget and travel support so that the Fellow can extend their international profile, as well as developing collaborations within Japan.
Please visit these sites for details of the fellowship and the application process:http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/researchers/young-fellowship/index.shtmlhttp://www.jaxa.jp/employ/index_e.html
The deadline for applications is 30 April 2012.

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2012 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2012 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2012. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 24th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (18-22 June and 16-20 July) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 3, 2012. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

The AGU Mineral and Rock Physics focus group seeks nominations for its Mineral and Rock Physics Graduate Research Award (formerly Mineral and Rock Physics Outstanding Student Research Award). This award recognizes one or more promising young scientists for outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. research. Nominees may be members of any AGU section. They should be engaged in experimental and/or theoretical studies of Earth and planetary materials with the purpose of unraveling the physics and chemistry that govern their origin and physical properties. The award consists of $500 for support of travel or other professional expenses, a certificate, and public recognition at the annual Mineral and Rock Physics reception at the AGU Fall Meeting. Contributions by AGU members in the Mineral and Rock Physics community finance the award.

Registration is now open for the 3nd Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2012) to be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15, 2012 at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), preceding the NASA Lunar Science Forum. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for professional development and networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs.

2012 Astrobiology Graduate Student Conference
The 2012 Astrobiology Graduate Student Conference (AbGradCon) will be held on August 27 – 30, 2012, preceded by the Research Focus Group splinter, August 24-26. The science program for the conference will be held at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), with an outreach event at the University of Southern California (USC), and a field-trip to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The conference will consist of three days of scientific sessions, two evenings of public outreach and education activities, and a one day field trip to JPL. Approximately 100 participants consisting of graduate students and early career postdocs are expected from both the US and abroad. The talks and poster sessions will draw on the success of past AbGradCons as a venue for early career astrobiologists to expand their horizons by forming collaborations and sharing their work and ideas with their contemporaries. By incorporating organized outreach events, we will highlight the importance of education and communication within our field and provide a venue for public involvement with the astrobiology community. The JPL tour is a unique aspect of this year’s meeting, and comes at an especially exciting time for the lab, just after the Curiosity rover’s (MSL) landing at Mars. At JPL participants will view active laboratories and mission development relevant to astrobiology.

2012 Santander Summer School
The 2012 International Astrobiology Summer School will be held at the summer campus of the Spanish National University (UIMP), Palacio de la Magdalena, Santander, Spain on June 18-22. This year’s theme is “Origins of the Building Blocks for Life.” Confirmed lecturers include: George Cody, Carnegie Institution of Washington; Jamie Elsila, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Karen Meech, University of Hawaii; and Alessandro Morbidelli, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice.

Additional information about the school and applications for student scholarships are available at the school website.

The school is co-sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) and the Spanish Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), with additional support from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and the Astrobiology Society.

Barringer Grant Applications for 2012 Now Being Accepted
Graduate Students and Postdocs,

This year’s application deadline for grants from the Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research is April 6, 2012. This program provides 3 to 5 competitive grants each year in the range of $2500 to $5000 USD for support of field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Grant funds may be used to assist with travel and subsistence costs, as well as laboratory and computer analysis of research samples and findings. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students enrolled in formal university programs are eligible. Over the past 10 years, 34 research projects have been supported. For additional details and an application, please go to http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Barringer_Fund/index.html.

The Department of Earth and Space Sciences at UCLA invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the field of planetary science. The postdoc will be expected to participate in the analysis of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment observations of the Moon, and produce a set of improved mapped data products. See http://diviner.ucla.edu for more information. Applicants with a background in planetary surfaces, remote sensing, computer science, large datasets, parallel computing, Fortran, and Unix are encouraged to apply.

The Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) invites undergraduate and graduate level students to experience cutting-edge research in nuclear power and propulsion technologies through our prestigious Summer Fellowship Program. As a CSNR Summer Fellow, you will work as part of a team of students and with scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to complete a research project of current interest to NASA in potential nuclear technology performance. The Summer Fellows program allows participants to experience a real research environment, to learn from top-notch nuclear scientists, and to preview careers in research. http://www.csnr.usra.edu/

Stanford Graduate School of Business Summer Institute for Entrepreneurship (SIE) ( http://gsb.stanford.edu/sie) I request your help reaching out to your graduate student population with backgrounds in engineering, medicine, science, and humanities to inform them of the opportunity to spend a month at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business learning management skills critical to entrepreneurship and building a successful venture.
Application will close on March 15, 2012

This Graduate Fellowship Program of the National Academies—consisting of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council—is an early career educational and training opportunity. It is designed to engage its Fellows in the analytical process that informs U.S. science and technology policy. Fellows develop basic skills essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local levels.

The Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), in Houston Texas, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in planetary geophysics.

The successful candidate will work with Dr. Walter Kiefer on a NASA-funded project studying the nature of mantle convection on Mars and its effects on the thermal evolution and volcanic history of the planet. The candidate will also have the opportunity to conduct research in planetary geophysics of his or her own choosing.

The position requires a Ph.D. in Planetary Science or Geophysics with experience in computer programming and numerical modeling methods, particularly finite elements. Experience with parallel computing in a Linux environment will be an asset. The position will be offered for an initial period of two years with a possible extension to a maximum of three years.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita with a list of relevant publications, a brief (maximum three pages) statement of research interests, and a list of three references to resume@lpi.usra.edu. Review of candidates will begin on March 15, 2012, with a hiring decision as soon as possible thereafter. Further information on current research and facilities at the LPI can be found on our website http://www.lpi.usra.edu.

Just a reminder that nominations for the Pellas-Ryder Best Student
Paper Award are due next Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Please send your
nomination to P-R Nominations Committee Chair David Williams
(David.Williams@asu.edu).

The award is limited to undergraduate and graduate students who are
first authors of a paper published in peer-reviewed scientific
journals between January 1 – December 31, 2011. For full details on
eligibility, go to this website:

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 24th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (18-22 June and 16-20 July) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov/

The Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) invites undergraduate and graduate level students to experience cutting-edge research in nuclear power and propulsion technologies through our prestigious Summer Fellowship Program. As a CSNR Summer Fellow, you will work as part of a team of students and with scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to complete a research project of current interest to NASA in potential nuclear technology performance. The Summer Fellows program allows participants to experience a real research environment, to learn from top-notch nuclear scientists, and to preview careers in research.

Announcement for the Fiscal Year 2013 USGS Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program.
The application deadline is February 21, 2012. The earliest that Fiscal Year 2013 appointments can start is October 1, 2012.
For examples of recent research under the Mendenhall Program, please visit: http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc/profiles/index.html.

Paid Internships in Geoscience and Policy in Washington DC – Apply Now

> The American Geosciences Institute’s Government Affairs Program offers summer and semester internship opportunities for geoscience students (undergraduates and/or Masters students) with an interest in public policy and in how Washington impacts the geoscience community. Interns gain a first-hand understanding of the legislative process and the operation of executive branch agencies while enhancing their writing, research, and web publishing skills. The deadline for online submission of application is March 15, 2012 for the summer interns, April 15, 2012 for the fall intern and October 15, 2012 for the spring 2013 intern.

> Stipends for the interns are generously supported by AGI, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the American Institute of Professional Geologists Foundation.

> The American Geophysical Union, the Soil Science Society of America, the American Institute of Physics, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society offer similar internships that may be of interest to geoscience students. Please visit their web sites for more information.

Graduate Students and Postdocs,
This year’s application deadline for grants from the Barringer Family Fund for Meteorite Impact Research is April 6, 2012. This program provides 3 to 5 competitive grants each year in the range of $2500 to $5000 USD for support of field research at known or suspected impact sites worldwide. Grant funds may be used to assist with travel and subsistence costs, as well as laboratory and computer analysis of research samples and findings. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students enrolled in formal university programs are eligible. Over the past 10 years, 34 research projects have been supported. For additional details and an application, please go tohttp://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Awards/Barringer_Fund/index.html.

This year’s CIDER summer program main theme is:
“Deep Time: How did early Earth become our modern world?”

> Advanced graduate students and post-docs: Come to the CIDER 2012 summer lecture and tutorial program: July 15th- August 10th to improve your understanding of geoscience disciplines other than your specialty and engage in multi-disciplinary research. Lectures
> Researchers at more senior levels: Come to any part of the summer program, interact with colleagues from other disciplines; bring your collaborators to work on burgeoning plans to develop collaborative projects in a stimulating environment away from your office and everyday woes.
Apply NOW: http://www.deep-earth.org/summer12.shtml
****Application deadline: February 1, 2012*****

The Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST) partnership at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, is planning to select between six and fifteen students, on a competitive basis, to participate in summer internships on-site at GSFC for the summer of 2012. These are nominally 10-week paid internships ($5,000 for undergrads and $6,000 for graduate-level students), primarily but not exclusively for undergraduate level college students. It is expected all students would be attending U.S. universities.
For more information, see http://cresst.umd.edu/Opportunities/internship2012.html
Deadline for applications for the summer 2012 period is February 1, 2012

I am a electrical engg. right now working in a MNC.I was always interested in planetary science.But because of limited knowledge I was not able to do wat i wanted.can u suggest me some universities in india and abroad that offer such courses.

Hi Umang, I do not personally know of programs abroad, but hopefully someone who does will reply to you. I am sure you have already tried this, but of course an internet search might help you find some schools in the locations you are looking for. Or if there is anyone at your current institution who is even slightly related to space sciences, you might ask them for suggestions. It doesn’t hurt to ask advice from many different people. Good luck!

The planetary sciences group in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at
the University of British Columbia, Vancouver invites applications for a
postdoctoral position in planetary geophysics. Candidates should have a Ph.D in
geophysics or planetary physics. Areas of particular interest are characterization
and modeling of planetary magnetic fields, interior structure of the terrestrial
planets, geophysical studies of Mercury using MESSENGER data, and impact
processes.

The initial appointment is for one year, but the appointment is renewable for an
additional year. The position will be available beginning in May 2012 or as
mutually acceptable. Review of applications will begin in January 2012 and the
position will remain open until filled.

Applicants should send (1) a current CV with a list of publications, (2) a list of
names, addresses and e-mail addresses of at least 3 references, and (3) a 1-2
page summary of current and proposed research to:

AWIS (Association for Women in Science) has awards for female STEM researchers – up to $3k for travel, including conferences. Any woman with at least a bachelor’s degree is eligible (grad, post-doc, professor, etc).
The due date is Dec 31, and there will also be a second cycle in 2012.
more info: http://www.awis.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=511

NASA Astrobiology Famelab competitionhttp://astrobiologyfamelab.arc.nasa.gov/
FameLab Astrobiology is a science communication skills-building event! Via four preliminaries and one final competition—spanning January thru April 2012—we invite you to compete to convey your own research or related science concepts. Each contestant has only three minutes….no slides, no charts—just the power of words and anything you can hold in your hands. A panel of experts in both science and science communication will do the judging.

Applications for the Nordic-NASA Summer School “Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe”, (held 2-15 July 2012) are open. Applications are due January 31st. This school is open to early career scientists.

The Space Studies Board’s Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships are offered twice annually. The summer program is restricted to undergraduates, and the autumn program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline for applications for the summer 2012 program is February 3, 2012. Successful candidates will be contacted by March 2, 2012. Applications for the autumn 2012 program will be accepted from April 1, 2012 until June 1, 2012. Successful candidates will be contacted by July 6, 2012. Additional information about the program, including application procedure, can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_052239

The Academy is not a 9-5 summer research internship program. It is a rigorous, immersive experience that will challenge you and push you outside of your comfort zones. It offers participants an intense learning experience that is either Space- or Aeronautics-based. All academy students will be immersed in a NASA environment where they will experience the agency from both inside and outside perspectives. Additionally, added interaction with NASA collaborators in industry and academia will provide unique, exciting and unforgettable summer experience designed to engage and capture students within the NASA family.

Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research (GESTAR), a cooperative agreement between USRA and GSFC, is offering a Graduate Research Assistants Program in conjunction with its university partners, Morgan State University and Johns Hopkins University. The program would provide graduate students access to MSU and JHU faculty as well as the opportunity to work alongside scientists at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Additional information may be found at http://gestar.usra.edu/students/.

Most planetary scientists depend on competitive NASA research grants
from the Planetary Science Division (PSD) to fund their work, and each
year NASA receives thousands of proposals and selects only ~1/3 of
them. How will you fare in this competition? Do you know how to write
a NASA proposal? Do you know where to submit it? Do you know the
lessons your competitors have gleaned after years of writing their
own proposals?

If you are unsure of the answers to any of these questions please
plan on attending an upcoming Proposal Writing Workshop. The workshop
is sponsored by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the
Carnegie Institution for Science and will be given by Curt Niebur,
a program scientist in the PSD at NASA Headquarters. The workshop
is open to all and will focus on understanding NASA’s research
programs, including information on how to write a research proposal,
where to apply for funding, and pathways for participation on missions.

The Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University is pleased to announce the 2011 application opportunity for the Nininger Meteorite Award for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing research in meteoritical sciences.

The Nininger Meteorite Award recognizes outstanding student achievement in the meteoritical sciences as embodied by an original research paper. Papers must cover original research conducted by the student and must have been written, submitted, or published between November 16, 2010, and December 15, 2011.

NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2012-2013 academic year. This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.

The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2012, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2012.

The NESSF call for proposals and submission instructions are located at the NESSF 12 solicitation index page at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ – click on “Solicitations” then click on “Open Solicitations” then select the “NESSF 12” announcement. Also refer to “Proposal Submission Instructions” and “Frequently Asked Questions” listed under “Other Documents” on the NESSF 12 solicitation index page.

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is hosting a special summer intern program to evaluate possible landing sites for robotic and human exploration missions. The LPI invites applications from graduate students in geology, planetary science, and related programs. The program is also open to undergraduate students in geology, astronomy, chemistry, and physics with at least 50 semester hours of credit so that they, too, can participate in lunar exploration activities. The goal of this program is to integrate NASA’s lunar science priorities with the exploration components of the new exploration program that takes us beyond low-Earth orbit. This will be a unique team activity that should foster extensive discussions among students and senior science team members.

The 10-week program runs from May 29, 2012, through August 3, 2012. Selected interns will receive a $5000.00 stipend to cover the costs associated with being in Houston for the duration of the program. Additionally, U.S. citizens will receive up to $1000.00 in travel expense reimbursement, and foreign nationals will receive up to $1500.00 in travel expense reimbursement.

Please pass this information on to any students who might be interested.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 20, 2012

Applications are only accepted using the electronic application form found at the LPI’s
Lunar Exploration Summer Intern website:

Another great graduate student opportunity, but with a deadline fast approaching!

The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) goals are to introduce U.S. graduate students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering in the context of a research setting, and to help students initiate scientific relationships that will better enable future collaboration with foreign counterparts. Selected students participate in research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, or Taiwan. All institutes, except Japan, last approximately 8 weeks from June to August. Japan lasts approximately 10 weeks from
June to August.

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the final 2011 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Fall 2011 Travel Grant application deadline is October 15, 2011. More info: http://nasa-academy.org/soffen/travelgrant/

Does anyone have any suggestions how to make a good conference poster? I’ve given a couple talks in the past, but I’m about to sit down and make my first poster for DPS, and I never paid much attention in the past to what separates the good posters from the not quite as good.

Catherine – Three words: keep it simple. Don’t go crazy with colors and backgrounds and crazy fonts. I tend to do a darker background and have the content separated into individual “boxes” on the poster to provide a little contrast (but be careful of mixing reds, blues, and greens because that will make the poster difficult for color-blind people to view). Stick to an easily-read font for the text, like Arial or Helvetica, and you can go a little crazy on the title. Try to keep the text to a minimum – of course, there will be some necessary text, but remember – you want to give the reader a basic idea so that s/he will then actually TALK to you about your research. As a rule, I never have text on my poster that is smaller than 18 point and most of the time, I actually use 20 – 24 point (you want to be able to read the poster easily from about 6 feet away). …again, it all comes down to keeping it simple. Good luck and most importantly, have fun!

AGI’s Government Affairs Program offers summer and semester internship
opportunities for geoscience students (undergraduates and Masters
students) with an interest in public policy and in how Washington
impacts the geoscience community. Interns gain a first-hand
understanding of the legislative process and the operation of executive
branch agencies. They also hone writing, research, and web publishing
skills. Stipends for the interns are generously supported by AGI, the
American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the American Institute
of Professional Geologists Foundation. Interns have the opportunity to
write articles for other publications such as The Professional
Geologist.

Thanks to Ryan Clegg for forwarding this:
SMART SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SMART STUDENTS

A tremendous scholarship-for-service opportunity is available to fully fund students’ undergraduate or graduate education. The American Society for Engineering Education’s SMART (Science, Mathematics, And Research for Transformation) program will pay for all educational expenses for a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. program, and then provide scholars unique opportunities to work as research scientists or engineers in world-class Department of Defense facilities. This is a highly competitive national program, open to U.S. citizens only. The SMART program will pay all educational costs and a stipend while recipients are in school from as little as 1 term up to 5 years.

The application deadline is 1 December 2011. For more information, including a list of DoD research facilities, visit http://smart.asee.org/

I am currently a Masters student at Swinburne University’s Astronomy Online program, having just completed the Graduate Certificate of Science in Astronomy. I am interested in any online research opportunities as well as science writing positions (including freelancing). I was a journalism major and have been a writer for a long time who has now decided I want to write about planetary science, including but not limited to, climate change on Earth.

Fulbright Canada offers a wide range of residential exchange opportunities for American undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars. Of particular interest, I would like to draw your attention to the new program: the Fulbright Canada Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Awards. The STEM Awards, provided in co-operation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and six of Canada’s leading research universities, offer US students the opportunity to complete a PhD in science, technology, engineering, or math in Canada. This award, valued at $120K over three years (including tuition, fees, and an annual stipend of $20,000), represents a tremendous opportunity for science, engineering and math students seeking a challenging, world-class academic opportunity.

The next deadline to apply for a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellowship
is July 1, 2011. These competitive one- to three-year fellowship
appointments advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science,
aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems and astrobiology.

Applications for the NASA Postdoctoral Program are accepted three times
each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.

Last year, the NASA Lunar Science Institute and the LPI-JSC NLSI team
sponsored a Field Training and Research Program for graduate students at
Meteor Crater.

We are pleased to announce that the program will be repeated in late
September 2011. For those who are interested, more details about the
opportunity are available at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/nlsi/mcFieldCamp/.
Applications for the program are due by Friday, July 15, 2011.
sponsored a Field Training and Research Program for graduate students at
Meteor Crater.

I am pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering in India. I am very much interested in pursuing MS and/or Post-doc in this field. I wanted to know if that is suitable considering that I’ll be getting a B.E. degree in Computer Engineering.

Hi Purva, A lot of people come into planetary science from different fields, and computer engineering is not a bad field to have as a background for a future in planetary science. Your programming skills will serve you well. As has been talked about a bit in some post above this one, everyone has to learn things when they come to grad school in planetary science, so you might have to learn a lot about astronomy and geology, but at least you will have lots of computer skills to help you with your research.

Applications are invited for graduate students from outside of Caltech to visit IPAC/NExScI to work on one of a series of projects being offered this year. Research projects cover a wide range of topics from work on extrasolar planets, studies of the early stages of star formation in dark clouds, to nearby and distant galaxies with Spitzer, WISE, Herschel and Planck. The student would work with a member of the IPAC/NExScI staff starting anytime from September 2011 until January 2012 and would stay for 6 months. More information about the program and a list of available projects is provided at the wiki page:

I am doing my master of science(by research) in planetary remote sensing. I have done my undergraduate course in engineering (remote sensing) and wish to pursue my research in planetary science. Since i am not a science person lacking the background of physics, astronomy or geology i am afraid to choose planetary science as my career path
Can a person from engineering background of remote sensing start a research career in planetary science ?
Please help

Hi Lavanya,
I did a MS degree in Aerospace Engineering before switching over to geophysics. I’m now working on my PhD in geophysics with a focus on planetary science. Like you, I did not have much of a science background but have found by studying the geophysics aspect of planetary science, the math background from my engineering has helped a lot. Also, I had a little programming experience that I found was useful for some of my course work and research. And the rest of the science I’ve been able to catch up on through course work. So, although it has been a little harder probably than coming in with a science undergrad degree, I think that for an engineer to go into planetary science by studying the geophysics side of things at least, is definitely do able.

Also, I think there are definitely a lot of planetary scientists who analyze remote sensing data for their research and so I would imagine that your background in remote sensing would be a good background to have for certain research topics!

I absolutely agree with Kate’s response! Although I’ve been a (planetary) geologist throughout my career, I have met and worked with many who did not work in the planetary geology field until their graduate work. The most helpful advice I’ve heard from these students is to either enroll in an intro-level planetary geology course and/or purchase an intro-level book to peruse in their own time and to not be embarrassed to ask for help from other students and/or professors – especially regarding reference material. There is no reason for you to struggle with not knowing when there are plenty of wonderful publications out there to teach you the basics so that you can move on to more advanced things.

Like Kate said, many people use remote sensing to complete their planetary research – although you may think that you are “behind” in your geology knowledge, I bet that you could teach the rest of us a thing or two about remote sensing!

1. Field Camp Excellence Award
New award for geology field camp instructors. One field camp leader will receive an award of $10,000 to assist with their summer field season.
This award will be based on safety awareness, diversity, and technical excellence.

Who can apply? Any GSA member, but the award is to be used only for a 2011 Geology Field Camp.
Deadline to apply? Friday, 15 April, 2011

We at CAE believe that Earth and Space Science graduate students and
postdocs (this includes astrophysics, astronomy, planetary science,
geosciences, etc.) are underserved when it comes to professional development
about teaching. We also believe that ESS graduate students and postdocs are
destined to play a vital role in increasing the participation in, and
diversity of, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
workforce and in improving our nation’s science literacy.

CAE needs your assistance in locating and contacting ESS graduate students
and postdocs to let them know about a very special CAE workshop created
specifically to 1) improve their knowledge and abilities regarding
implementing of proven instructional strategies; and 2) better prepare them
for the job market that awaits them.

Since graduate students and postdocs rarely receive funding to participate
in professional development, we are offering travel support for about 30
participants to attend a new CAE Legacy workshop designed specifically for
their needs. This intensive two-day professional development workshop will
be held 23-24 July on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This unique location will
be able to provide workshop participants access to both the Mauna Kea
Observatories and Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Because there are a limited number of funded opportunities available, and we
require participants to complete an application by the 20 April deadline, we
urge you to please forward the attached announcement to graduate students
and postdocs in your department (or other departments at you college) ASAP
so that they can participate in this very special event.

Astrobiology is a new and rapidly expanding field of science that aims to understand the origin, evolution and diversity of life on Earth, and investigate possible emergence of life elsewhere in the Universe. The newly founded Stockholm University Astrobiology Centre announces 4 graduate students position in physics and astronomy. The students will be working in the following projects:

For example, scroll down and set Diversity to 5, leave all else the same, and see what you get. You can also go to “More options” under “Diversity” and set Female faculty to 5.

Data come from the National Science Foundation, the National Research Council, and the National Center for Education Statistics. The graduate school rankings have been made possible by grants from The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and The Burroughs Welcome Fund. The National Postdoctoral Association and The Center for Science and the Media have served as the project’s fiscal sponsors.

The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2011 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.

The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2011 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2011. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:

I would like to invite you all to participate in the Lunar Grad Con this summer at NASA Ames, details below. Please let me know if you have any questions.

:)Heidi

The 2nd Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2011) will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), preceeding the NASA Lunar Science Forum. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs.

If you’ve already submitted an abstract for the NASA Lunar Science Forum, it’s not to late to do so for LunGradCon 2011, too! The 2nd Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2011) will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), prior to the NASA Lunar Science Forum. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar science in a low-stress, constructive, friendly environment of their peers. In addition gaining experience with oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for networking with fellow grad students, postdocs, and senior members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. A limited amount of funding (~$400) will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The astract submission deadline is May 31, 2011.

The 2nd Annual Lunar Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2011) will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), preceeding the NASA Lunar Science Forum. LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career postdocs to present their research on lunar science in a low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for networking with fellow grad students and postdocs, as well as senior members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. A limited amount of funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs.

Applications for financial assistance for students and postdocs to attend are due this Friday, March 4!

Registration and financial assistance application now available on-line along with agenda updated with speaker names!

The 2011 Sagan Exoplanet Summer Workshop: “Exploring Exoplanets with Microlensing”, will take place on the Caltech campus July 25-29. This timely workshop comes on the heels of the ASTRO 2010 Decadal report endorsing microlensing as an important technique in the exoplanet field. Limited financial assistance for travel and accommodations will be available for successful applicants.

More information, including an agenda and instructions on applying for financial assistance to attend the workshop (applications due March 4), can be found on the workshop website: http://nexsci.caltech.edu/workshop/2011/

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 23rd Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (18-22 July and 1-5 August) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 1st, 2011. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available athttp://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released a solicitation, entitled NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships (NSTRF) – Fall 2011 Fellowship Start, on December 29, 2010. The solicitation is available by opening the NASA Research Opportunities homepage athttp://nspires.nasaprs.com/ , selecting “Solicitations,” then selecting “Open Solicitations,” and, finally, selecting “NSTRF11.”

All applications must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative. Applications are due on or before February 23, 2011. Detailed submission instructions (for the faculty advisor, student and authorized organizational representative) are provided under “Other Documents” on the NSPIRES webpage associated with the NSTRF11 solicitation. Potential applicants, their advisors and proposing organizations are urged to access the electronic proposal system well in advance of the proposal due date to familiarize themselves with its structure and to enter the requested information.

The 10-week NASA Academy summer program is now taking applications from undergraduate and beginning graduate students in the sciences, math, and engineering. Deadline: January 18, 2011.

The Academies are intensive educational programs emphasizing group activities, teamwork, research, and creativity. The curriculum balances direct contact with science and engineering R & D with an awareness of the managerial, political, financial, social and human issues faced by aerospace professionals. Included are seminars, informal discussions, evening lectures, supervised research, visits to other NASA Centers and facilities, group project/s, tours, posters/presentations, and assessment. Additionally, most weekends are filled with group activities, team building and off-site trips. One free weekend is scheduled.

The Academy is not a 9-5 summer research internship program. It is a rigorous, immersive experience that will challenge you. The academy is a space-themed program of high learning about NASA, its projects and collaborations with aerospace industry, and academia, with very little down time, but a busy, exciting summer that you will not forget.

The Academies have separate focus areas of leadership, robotics, aeronatics, space and planetary science, and propulsion. Please see the website to learn more about the Academies at each center: Ames (CA), Marshall (AL), Glenn (OH), and Goddard (MD).

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is proud to announce its fourth LPI Career Development Award, which is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. applicants. This award will be given to graduate students who have submitted a first-author abstract for presentation at the 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC).

A travel stipend of $800.00 will be awarded to the top applicants to help cover their travel expenses for attending the LPSC in March.

The application deadline for the LPI Career Development Award is January 7, 2011. Applications should be directed to

Awards will be based on a review of the application materials by a panel of lunar and planetary scientists. Applications must include:

* Letter outlining why the applicant would like to participate at the LPSC and what he or she will contribute to the conference
* Letter of recommendation from his or her research advisor
* Copy of the first-author abstract
* Curriculum Vita for the applicant

The 42nd LPSC will be held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in The Woodlands, Texas. An average of 1500 participants from all over the world gather each year for the annual meeting, which has gained the reputation of being the premiere gathering place for lunar and planetary scientists.

The LPI maintains a highly focused education effort chartered to engage, excite, and educate the public about lunar and planetary science and invests in the development of future generations of scientists. The LPI Career Development Award has been provided from the generous endowments that the LPI has received over the past year from those in the community who are equally committed to the education of students in lunar and planetary science.

Hi, I just came across this website and I think it’s a great opportunity for women all over the globe to share ideas and seek various opportunities through this forum!
A little bit about me: I graduated this past may from University of Alabama’s Public Policy Graduate Program. I currently work on space policy related research and at the same time looking for opportunities to pursue a PhD degree next fall. I have a number of publications on the theme of U.S. European cooperation in space and transatlantic partnership in space.
I’d be happy to receive any feedback, ideas, and advice on this matter from current or past PhD students and professors.
Best wishers,
Veronica

Hii. this website is a great idea. i m Prabhjot.. working as a research fellow in India… presently working on lunar surface mineralogy… and finally aim is to do P.hD in planetary geology.. so looking for some good opportunities in this field.. Hope i will get a ton of knowledge nd good ideas for u all followers of his great site…

The Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University is pleased to announce the 2010 application opportunity for the Nininger Meteorite Award for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing research in meteoritical sciences.

The Nininger Meteorite Award recognizes outstanding student achievement in the meteoritical sciences as embodied by an original research paper. Papers must cover original research conducted by the student and must have been written, submitted or published between November 13, 2009 and November 15, 2010.

The 2010 Nininger Award application deadline is November 15, 2010. Applicants must be the first, but not sole, author of the paper and must be studying at an educational institution in the United States.

The Nininger Award recipient receives $1000 and an engraved plaque commemorating the honor. Further information about the Nininger Award and paper submission instructions are located on the Center for Meteorite Studies website:

This Graduate Fellowship Program of the National Academies—consisting of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council—is designed to engage its Fellows in the analytical process that informs U.S. science and technology policy. Fellows develop basic skills essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local levels.

Deadline for winter/spring session is Oct. 15
* There will be two 12-week sessions in 2011: Winter/January and Fall/September.
* There will be no summer session in 2011
* The stipend/grant will be $8,240 for the Fellowship session.

The NAI Research Scholarship Program offers research-related travel support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more NAI Teams, or participating institutions of the NAI, however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered. Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution. Requests are limited to $5,000, and are accepted with deadlines of April 1 and October 1.

i am currently attending a community college in Hattisburg. i am VREY intrested in plantary science. what are step i need to take to presue this career? also, after i complete college, am i guaranteed a job in studing space? any advice would be helpful!

Hi Jacqueline! Nice to meet you. It is great you want to get involved with planetary science. Many people in this field come from astronomy, geology or physics backgrounds, and that is what they studied in undergrad, often with an internship or other research experience in planetary science either over the summer or even during the school year at their undergrad institution with a professor there. There are a few schools where you can take classes specifically in planetary science as well. Most people get their undergraduate degree in one of these fields, then go to graduate school for planetary science to get their Ph.D.

Of course no one is ever guaranteed a job in any field, but if you study to become a planetary scientist you will gain many skills along the way, that will end up being useful even if you decide to pursue a different path in the end.

I agree with Kelsi. While you are studying at community college, try to take math and science courses and really find out what field of science interests you, whether it be physics, chemistry, geology, environmental science, or engineering (or even a little astronomy!). All of these fields serve as a good basis for planetary science and would be good to get a B.S. in. As Kelsi mentioned, going to graduate school in geology or planetary science is usually the norm. However, there are a few folks that do planetary science work who have graduate degrees in chemistry, physics or another area related to planetary science. The key right now might be for you to figure out which scientific discipline you enjoy best, start taking some courses in it now, and work toward a B.S. in that. Keep your eyes open for internships in planetary science too!

The University of Hawaii branch of the NASA Astrobiology Institute will host a winter school on the theme of “water and the evolution of life in the cosmos,” from Monday January 3rd to Monday January 17th 2011. This school will provide approximately 40 post-graduate participants with a broad but high-level introduction into astrobiology, emphasizing the origin and role of water in the emergence of life on our planet, and in the search for life elsewhere. It will be truly multidisciplinary, bringing together students and researchers from the diverse scientific backgrounds that contribute to our understanding here. Hawaii offers ideal resources for this training opportunity, from world-leading astronomical observing facilities through state of the art cosmochemistry simulation equipment to unique geologic environments in which extremophile life exists. Applications are invited from all graduate and post-doctoral students whose research interests intersect with astrobiology.

The LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration is excited to announce a new student field camp opportunity coming this fall! The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is being organized under the auspices of the NASA Lunar Science Institute, which is designed, in part, to train a new generation of explorers for the Moon and beyond.

The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is a week-long geology field class and research project based at Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, more popularly known as Meteor Crater. The goal will be to introduce students to impact cratering processes and provide an opportunity to assist with a research project at the crater. Skills developed during the field camp should better prepare students for their own thesis studies in impact cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, Mars, or some other solar system planetary surface.

The field camp is designed for graduate college students in geology and planetary science programs, although advanced undergraduate students will be considered if they have successfully completed a summer field geology program and have a demonstrated interest in impact cratering processes. The field camp is offered October 17-23, 2010, and limited to twenty-four participants. Interested candidates should apply by June 11, 2010, to be considered.

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship program is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s (NAS/NRC’s) Space Studies Board (SSB).

Established in 1958 to serve as the focus of the interests and responsibilities in space research for the NAS/NRC, the SSB provides an independent, authoritative forum for information and advice on all aspects of space science and applications, and it serves as the focal point within the NAS/NRC for activities on space research. It oversees advisory studies (including the on-going decadal surveys in astronomy and astrophysics, planetary science, life and microgravity sciences, and solar and space physics) and program assessments, facilitates international research coordination, and promotes communications on space science and science policy between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public. The SSB also serves as the U.S. National Committee for the International Council for Science Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).

The Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships, named after the first chair of the SSB, are offered twice annually. The SSB is now accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students for its autumn 2010 program. The deadline for applications is June 14, 2010. Successful candidates will be contacted no later than July 2, 2010.

I would like to know the name of the woman meteorite expert who was interviewed on recent shows of the “Meteorite Men” who used the lab at ASU to have their meteorites analyzed and evaluated. Please get back to me right away if possible. The woman who was interviewed was probably in her 30s and had long dark hair.

NASA is seeking to engage university students, both undergraduate and graduate students, to conduct activities that are designed to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to participate in NASA’s Space Science educational activities and to help generate excitement about NASA scientific discoveries in space science (astrophysics, planetary science and heliophysics).

Requirements
• Must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old as of January 1, 2010, and in an institution of higher learning that is a member of the state Space Grant Consortium http://national.spacegrant.org/info/web.html
• Full time student- graduate or undergraduate

Awards
• Up to 50 students will be selected for a one-year award.
• A stipend of $2,000 will be provided for conducting the recipient’s proposed activities
• A reimbursement of up to $600 will be provided for materials, supplies, and travel expenses for the execution of their activities.